《Playing Waterbending (Avatar: Last Aibender SI)》


 Chapter 1 - 1

    After experiencing an intense fever, I woke up in my sweat-soaked bed. I stared at the icy ceiling, dizziness clouding my head. My body shivered from the cold. Despite being a native of the South Pole and having high resistance to the cold, it was the first time in my life I couldn''t bear it, even though I was inside my warm ice house.


    ''When did I get sick?''


    A jolt of pain shot through my brain. Although I was alone, I heard a sound. I turned my head left and right, trying to locate where it was coming from.


    [The System has been installed.]


    [You may now start playing in Game Mode.]


    As I heard the strange robotic voice, I wondered when I had ever known the word "robotic."


    That word didn''t belong to this world... wait a minute, I didn''t belong to this world either. A rush of memories from my previous life flashed before me.


    ''All my life has been a lie. My name is Josh, and my previous life was on Earth. This world is nothing but a cartoon show?''


    I thought about the last thing I remembered. I was at work when I got an email¡ªa game survey asking me to help create a game. A world of my choice... I had chosen the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and requested that everyone be adults for the sake of fan service... or research.


    ''But none of that matters. After I filled out that survey, I transmigrated, lost my memories, and spent 17 years in this world...''


    I looked at my tanned skin. In my previous life, it had been white.


    It seems I can say "You" in Korean.


    But there was no one I could say it to.


    I touched my hair. It was smooth, held in braids. But it didn''t feel unfamiliar. Living without my memories for 17 years helped me accept my transmigration so easily that I didn''t miss anything from my previous life. I didn''t feel the loss of everything. There wasn''t much to mourn. All I had in my previous life was a job, and with the rising cost of living, I could no longer afford leisure. I lived only to pay bills, rent, and buy groceries. So, losing everything didn''t seem like a big deal¡ªI had nothing worth keeping.


    ''So, I guess there''s no identity crisis. I''m Josh, and I''m Ryuk. One is my previous life, and the other is my current life, the one I remember.''


    ''Now for the important stuff.''


    I sat up. The fever had passed, and I felt better.


    I decided to summon the game-like interface. But it was strange.


    There were no character levels or stats. There was a storage slot and a skills slot.


    You gain experience by practicing your skills in a certain way. You accumulate experience when defeating someone, and this experience could be used to level up skills without actually practicing them, or to fill the storage.


    I knew all of this the moment the system was installed in my head. I believed it was designed to help my brain and body instantly master skills when leveling them up, making it game-like. But so what? Was that it? Could I just gain skills? I''d never be able to stop an army by myself, or be as strong as the Avatar. Or would I?


    Anyway, I rubbed my chin.


    Thinking about the Avatar, although Katara and Sokka were 17 and 18 years old, I had never met Aang. They never talked about him.


    At the same time, there was no sign of the Fire Nation army.


    This left me with two possibilities.


    One, the Avatar hadn''t appeared, and the Fire Nation had succeeded in taking over the Earth Kingdom. Now, they were probably busy invading the North Pole.


    The second possibility was what I hoped for.


    This universe was an alternative reality where everyone was a bit older, and events would unfold as they did in the canon.


    Either possibility could ruin my life.


    I needed to gather information, or else I''d be filled with anxiety.


    Before leaving my house, I glanced at my stats window.


    [Name: Ryuk


    Tree Skills: Waterbending - 1 Chi Bending - 1


    Skills: Fishing - 2


    Accumulated Experience: 0]


    For this world''s standards, if printed, this would look like the worst CV imaginable.


    But on the bright side, there was some good news.


    I had the Waterbending skill.


    This makes me wonder. Did my choices in the survey turn into reality? Or is this just some coincidence or lame excuse some ROB used to entertain themselves?


    As for whether this world was the first possibility or the second, I could figure something out. The only way to get the right answers was to ask the right questions.


    It would be better to ask the elders and women, who hadn''t been drafted into the resistance against the Fire Nation¡ªan enemy we hadn''t heard about for nearly a decade.


    After leaving my tent, I faced the endless white landscape. It was nothing but ocean, snow, ice, and a few tents and ice houses.


    Inside them were mostly elderly people and very young children.


    As I walked around, a couple of kids, with tanned skin and blue eyes, ran by.


    "Hey, have you seen Sokka or Katara?" I asked the children.


    One of them answered, "They saw you had a fever, so they went off to gather food on their own. They must be preparing for the boats."


    I rubbed the back of my head. The food reserves must be running low if Sokka and Katara had to hunt in this cold.


    Anyway, I had a few questions for them, and since I was impatient for their return, I decided to follow.


    "Thanks, kids. Don''t stray too far from the tribe," I advised before setting off in the direction they had gone. At this pace, I should catch up before they sailed out.


    About 15 minutes later, I arrived. I was out of breath from sprinting, but my body seemed fine, considering it wasn''t the first time I had done it.


    ''I must have quite an athletic physique,'' I thought to myself, smiling as I saw the siblings preparing the boat.


    They seemed to notice me. I looked at them. They were the same as in the show, but different at the same time.


    Sokka looked to be in his late teens, tall and skinny, with the same hairstyle as in the show.


    Katara, on the other hand, seemed more mature. She was of average height, with long hair and blue eyes. Although she wore a blue coat to cover her body, it couldn''t hide her curves. Her hips were wide, and her chest was full.


    "Ryuk? Shouldn''t you be resting? You were in bad shape when I left you," remarked Sokka.


    I forced a smile and replied, "The fever''s gone. I''m not sure why it happened, but I''m fine now. Since I had some time, I decided to catch up."


    "You shouldn''t have pushed yourself," Katara said, eyeing me with concern. "It''s not like the tribe is starving or anything."


    "No, it''s fine. I''m just doing my duty," I said. Now that we were talking, I decided to strike up a conversation about bending. If this world was the first possibility, she''d be the best bender in the world. I wanted to know how things were going in this timeline. Was Aang still trapped under the ice? Had he appeared a few years ago and died miserably in a battle¡ªwhich was very unlikely considering his Avatar state?


    "By the way, how far have you progressed with your bending, Katara?" I asked.


    Katara twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. Looking slightly embarrassed, she replied, "Not much. I can make simple waves and pulls. I can do ice, but no matter how hard I try, without a proper teacher, I can''t seem to progress."


    "I told her she should practice while washing clothes," Sokka whispered, "but I just got my face sprayed instead."


    "Anyway, why are you suddenly so interested?" Katara asked. "It''s not like you care about anything other than when someone will take you into battle."


    "Well, I just woke up and was curious," I said. "How''s the Avatar, by the way? Has he decided to join the fight?"


    "What Avatar?" Sokka replied. "Grandma says it''s been almost a hundred years since he last appeared."


    Bingo. Almost a hundred years. That meant there was still some time before Sozin''s Comet. Also, this was an alternative universe, where everyone was a bit older.


    "How much time exactly has passed since the Avatar disappeared?" I asked, wanting to confirm my guess.


    If my instincts were right, we were about one or two years away from Sozin''s Comet.


    And if the Avatar never appeared... we were all screwed. The Fire Nation would dominate the Earth Kingdom and force its way to the North and South Poles, taking over the world.


    The person who would suffer the most would be me. You see, as a growing nation, the Fire Nation would need more resources. The poor South had nothing to offer but labor. I didn''t want to end up a slave to another nation, so I had to act.


    "I don''t know. Nearly a hundred years. I never paid attention to those details," Sokka shrugged.


    "Interesting." I rubbed my chin.


    "Okay, Ryuk, you''ve been acting weird. Why are you suddenly interested in bending, the Avatar, and everything?" Katara asked.


    Apparently, when I regained my memories from my past life, there was a conflict between the personas of both lives. My personality shifted slightly.


    Seeing Katara''s suspicious gaze, I knew I couldn''t tell her that their lives were a comic from my previous life.


    So, I ended up saying, "You see, I discovered I can bend."


    "Did you have vivid dreams while you had the fever?" Sokka asked. "You''ve never been able to bend, and benders don''t show ability at your age."


    "I agree with Sokka," Katara nodded.


    Sighing, I squatted down and stretched my hands toward the sea, hoping something impressive would happen to shut them up. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nothing happened.


    I stood up and tried again, pushing my hands toward the sea. Again, nothing.


    Katara, with a half-serious tone, remarked, "You know, you have to move your hands as if you''re making waves in the water."


    "Oh, you mean like this?" I said, waving my arm through the air, imagining I was pushing water.


    A fist-sized jet of water shot from the sea and flew in another direction, catching me by surprise. I pulled, and the water headed back toward me.


    [Waterbending +2 XP]


    The water splashed on my face, reminding me how cold the sea was.


    Sokka looked at me in astonishment.


    "Since when?" he asked.


    On the other hand, Katara was confused at first, then she got excited. "I''m not the only one!"


    Sokka turned toward the sea and began waving his hand, as if expecting something to happen. But nothing did. "Come on, man."


    "I just discovered it after the fever," I smiled. "The spirits have blessed me."


    It seemed their focus had shifted from my sudden interest in the Avatar and the war. But I was starting to feel anxious. With the Avatar still asleep, and the Sozin Comet getting closer, the narcissistic Fire Nation would come from across the world just to make my life hell for their own satisfaction.

 Chapter 2 - 2

    [Fishing + 2 EXP] [Fishing + 20 EXP]¡­


    While I was on the boat with the siblings, the notification sound kept ringing in my ear. It made me think that if I got into a fight, the continuous notifications about experience gained would be quite annoying. Luckily, there was a parameters option on the system''s screen, and I managed to select what I wanted to be notified about.


    Now, I would only get notifications for leveling up and when I learned new skills.


    I breathed a sigh of relief when I caught another fish. I was thrusting my spear into the water whenever I saw or felt a ripple. Then, with a strong pull, I''d catch a fish. The probability was decent¡ªabout 1 in 10 attempts.


    [Fishing Up to Level 3]


    Once the skill leveled up, I felt the changes instantly. I could spot the ripples in the water better, and my reaction speed improved. On one attempt, I missed, but on the next, I succeeded. After a few more tries, I noticed that my success rate had increased to 2 in 10. There were even times when I caught four fish in a row. Overall, my success rate was now 20%, a remarkable improvement. While I was immersed in the changes in my skill, Katara stood behind me and cleared her throat. She seemed to have something to say ever since we got on the boat. But since I was busy testing the level-up process with my fishing skill, I barely paid her any attention, so she didn''t say anything.


    "Excuse me," she said, grabbing my attention by touching my shoulder, causing me to stop fishing.


    "Yes?" I turned to her and raised an eyebrow.


    "You seem very calm for someone who just discovered they can bend water," she said.


    "Well, how am I supposed to react?" I asked with a smile.


    "When I realized I could bend, I was so happy and excited¡­" She trailed off and seemed to become sad for some reason. I knew why¡ªher mother had been killed under the allegation of being a waterbender.


    "Well, I suppose if I were younger, I''d be jumping with excitement," I replied. "Anyways, even though I can bend now, what''s the use? Without proper guidance, I can''t hope to achieve a high level on my own."


    Well, there was hope, but it would require a lot of grinding.


    "True. But you know, when you train with someone, your skills improve quickly," she said. "So I was thinking, once this fishing trip is over, how about we find some exercises to practice?"


    "Oh, you seem to have something in mind." I mused. She seemed more excited than me. Well, considering she didn''t know what might happen if we don''t find the Avatar, she could afford to be carefree. On the other hand, I had a real anxiety about it. My very existence could change many things, like Sokka and Katara''s mood on the day they''re supposed to find the Avatar. One thing leads to another¡­ and you know, the butterfly effect theory.


    "Yes." Katara nodded. "I had some ideas a long time ago, but since I was the only bender here, I couldn''t put them into proper practice."


    "Great. I''ll be in your care," I replied.


    "I''m not that good in the first place," she said, blushing slightly despite her tanned cheeks. Just to be clear, people do blush when they''re embarrassed or praised.


    I turned my attention back to the ocean and continued fishing. At first, Sokka had caught more fish than I did, but I eventually caught up and got more. Every time I caught a bigger fish, I gained more experience¡ªI occasionally checked the window to see my progress. Eventually, I reached level 4, and things started picking up. My success rate rose to 30%. We had plenty of food before calling it a day and heading back to the tribe.


    When we returned, we were greeted by women and children, who gathered around us. We distributed the food evenly. Meanwhile, while I fished, I had hidden a few fish in my storage to test something. I was wondering whether things would be preserved in the storage or if they would rot with time.


    ''If time doesn''t affect things in storage, it''d be useless to season and store food in the system,'' I thought to myself. Well, a man with extra testosterone thinks with his D, and a hungry man thinks with his stomach. Only a satisfied man thinks with his brain.


    ''Leave thinking about the Fire Nation for later. I''ll have to dry these fish before eating them. It''s not hard to start a fire, but seaweed and wood are rare to find,'' I thought to myself. Luckily, I had dried fish somewhere. I was starting to think: Once I find the Avatar, I''ll head to the Earth Kingdom and experience real food. I''m getting tired of this fish-heavy diet. When I said I didn''t miss anything from my previous life, I guess I wasn''t totally honest.


    Leaving that aside, after agreeing with Katara to meet tomorrow for training, I bid my farewell to her and Sokka and went to my ice house. I ate my food and then laid down.


    Now that I was alone and satisfied, I started thinking about the potential of the system. Sure, I might never get as powerful as the Avatar, but I could achieve a power that he could never hope to attain.


    If I leveled up my waterbending skills, I could learn bloodbending, which is enough to kill an army by myself. And since it''s a system, I might be able to level up bloodbending beyond what''s known in the series. In The Legend of Korra, Korra was almost killed by the weakest bloodbender. Unless one has the Avatar State to aid them, bloodbending is guaranteed to deliver the kill.


    ''Anyway, you could kill the Avatar before he activates the Avatar State. That''s the power of waterbending¡­ bloodbending.''


    While thinking about the possibilities, I drifted into sleep.


    When I woke up and sat up, I thought to myself, ''I didn''t even realize when I fell asleep.''


    After having a small breakfast, I washed myself and changed into clean clothes. I''d wash my spare change when I returned later.


    As I stepped outside, I thought about how I would spend the day. The obvious answer was to increase my combat potential by leveling up waterbending. Then, I''d look for some random iceberg to see if there''s an airbender inside.


    When I reached the outskirts of the tribe, I found Katara standing and playing with a floating water ball, making it dance beautifully in the air.Watching her, I thought about mimicking her movements to gain experience. Maybe I wouldn''t need a teacher, thanks to the system. But training was still mandatory.


    I walked over to Katara and called out, "Katara, you''re up early."


    "Ryuk, you usually don''t wake up until a few hours later," she remarked.


    "I fell asleep early," I replied, pointing at the ball of water she was manipulating. "Anyway, what are you doing?"


    "Practicing," she said, then asked, "Do you want to join me?"


    That''s exactly why I had approached her in the first place, so I nodded. "Sure."


    "Alright," she said with a smile. "I''ve created a game called Passing the Ball." She moved her body fluidly, almost like dancing, and waved her arms. Water rose from the ground, forming into a ball that floated beside her. "First, copy my movements and try to hold the water in a ball shape. Once you''ve mastered that, we''ll pass it back and forth. Whoever drops it first loses."


    "Sounds fun to you¡­" I nodded, "but to me, it sounds like I''ll be the one losing."


    She chuckled. "Maybe, but you''ll gain experience. Now, go ahead and give it a try."


    I sighed and stepped a little farther away to give myself room. I replayed her movements in my head and mimicked them. As I went through the smooth motions, I felt a strange energy flowing through my veins. Water rose from the ground and hovered between my hands¡ªonly to collapse into a puddle moments later. I couldn''t even form a ball, let alone hold it.


    I opened the system window and checked the log.


    [Waterbending +2 XP]


    Well, at least my effort wasn''t in vain. To keep myself motivated, I decided to turn on the sound notifications for now. And so, I began practicing.


    [Waterbending]


    [Waterbending +]


    [Waterbending +]


    ...


    [Waterbending up to Level 2]


    [Skill Tree has been upgraded]


    [+Skill: Push and Pull]


    [Chi Bending +50 XP]


    Suddenly, a wave of information flooded my mind. It was like remembering something long forgotten. Instinctively, I knew how to move. I raised my hands, feeling the energy coursing through me. Water rose from the icy ground and floated before me. With a push of my arms, I sent it away.


    [Waterbending +5 XP]


    "You''re getting the hang of it," Katara cheered from where she had been watching me practice for the past hour.


    I smiled back at her. "I''ll have that water ball mastered in no time."


    "I''ll be waiting," she said, though she added, "but don''t expect it to be easy. I struggled for a long time to get to that point on my own."


    "To be fair," I said, "if you''d had a teacher, you probably would''ve picked it up much faster."


    And I was being honest. In the show, Katara was one of the most talented waterbenders. She had bested the Northern Water Tribe''s grandmaster with ease, and her skills were on par with Azula¡ªa prodigy who had been training all her life. Katara, on the other hand, had been training for less than a year.


    I returned to my practice, focusing on forming the water into a ball.


    [Waterbending +10 XP]


    It seemed that trying new techniques earned more experience than repeating basic moves. By the time another half hour had passed, I received a notification:


    [Waterbending up to Level 3]


    [Skill Tree has been upgraded]


    [Bending will now feel more natural]


    With the level-up, that same strange wave of knowledge hit me again. When I tried pushing and pulling the water this time, it felt much smoother. At first, I had struggled to control the water''s speed¡ªit had just followed my movements chaotically. But now, it flowed in sync with me. Slowly, I gathered the water into a perfect ball.


    I turned to Katara, excitement lighting up my face. "Look!" I said, holding the ball in my hands proudly.


    "Wow, great job!" she said, genuinely impressed.


    "Should we play now?" I teased, grinning.


    Katara, twirling a strand of her hair absentmindedly, replied, "I don''t know¡­ Bending can be exhausting. You must be tired by now."


    She was right. I did feel a bit drained. Maybe I had overused my chi. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''ve got a point," I said, sitting down. "A little break won''t hurt."


    As I rested, I thought about chi. It felt like a muscle¡ªthe more I used it, the stronger it would become over time. That thought reminded me of Ty Lee. If I remembered correctly, she could block a person''s chi by striking certain pressure points. I wondered if it was possible for me to learn that technique. After all, it was powerful enough to allow a non-bender to take down skilled benders.


    When we returned to the tribe, I joined Sokka on a fishing trip. Our goal was to catch enough fish to build up reserves for the small tribe¡ªjust about ten women, a few older folks, and some children. Food had to be dried before it was edible, so having extra stock was always better.


    By the end of the trip, we''d caught enough to feed everyone for two days. On the way back, Sokka kept glancing at me until he finally asked, "You''ve gotten better. Did you use waterbending to guide the fish to us?"


    In truth, my fishing skill had leveled up to five¡ªit was a simple skill that didn''t require much effort to improve. Still, I noticed that the rate of progress slowed with each level.


    "I didn''t," I replied with a smirk. "But that''s not a bad idea at all."


    "Right?" Sokka grinned. "With you and Katara, we could catch enough food for a week in just one day."


    "But then what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do you have any entertainment planned for afterward?"


    "I''ll make a nice bed," he replied, sounding carefree.


    I couldn''t help but envy him. He had no idea about the dangers lurking ahead. Meanwhile, I was constantly worried about the Avatar and what lay ahead. If I wanted to find Aang, I needed to master waterbending¡ªat least enough to survive the icy waters without freezing to death.

 Chapter 3 - 3

    A couple of days later, I stared at the experience bar of the Waterbending Skill to check how much progress I had made.


    [Waterbending Level 4 (350/400)]


    Earning experience had become noticeably slower.


    Sweat trickled down my forehead. At my current level, waterbending was exhausting, but I could feel a significant improvement in my stamina. It was like I could bend 20% longer than before. Maybe it worked like a muscle¡ªthe more I trained, the longer I could sustain it.


    ''Though, if it''s like building a muscle, do the rules of intensity and duration apply? Like, no matter how much you train sprinting, you can go fast, but you can''t sustain it for long. I don''t know.''


    I waved my hand, levitating a small ball of water above my palm and slowly passing it toward Katara. She caught it between her hands, keeping it floating for a moment, then sent it back to me.


    I caught it.


    [Waterbending +10 EXP]


    I passed it back to her.


    [Waterbending +5 EXP]


    It was rewarding, but the focus required was draining. I decided to endure it. Unlike most benders who had trained their powers¡ªespecially their stamina¡ªI was new to this.


    Katara, who seemed to be having fun, passed the ball back to me. I caught it between my arms and tried to slow its momentum before sending it back. Although my throw was faster than hers, she managed to hold it. At first, she couldn''t handle fast throws, but after a dozen tries, she succeeded, proving her natural talent for waterbending. For a moment, I almost doubted whether she had a system of her own. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other hand, I could only handle slow throws and barely keep the ball''s shape intact. If she threw it too quickly, I wouldn''t be able to catch it, losing the little game we were playing.


    She seemed to realize my limitations and gradually increased the speed, allowing me to adapt.


    [Waterbending leveled up to Level 5 (0/800)]


    [Chi Bending leveled up to Level 2]


    Without fully realizing how much I had improved, I held the water ball in my hands, making it hover and move more fluidly. My control had improved significantly, and I could manipulate it with greater ease. When I passed it back to Katara, the movement felt far less draining than before.


    "Wow, easy there!" she exclaimed as she caught the ball, which moved faster than usual.


    As if to get back at me, she threw it even faster. Normally, it would have smacked me in the face and fallen to the ground. But this time, with a quick motion of my hand, I slowed its momentum, circled it around my body, and made it float again.


    "Okay, that''s some freaky improvement right there," she remarked. "Now that you''re at this level, let''s play a different game. We''ll throw water balls at each other. If you block it, you get a point. If you get hit, you lose a point. Whoever has the highest score after ten minutes wins."


    This method of training was good enough to help me level up further, though it wasn''t exactly a method to learn how to bend like a master.


    Still, with peaceful days like these, I didn''t mind the slow pace of leveling up. At least this way, I could appreciate the calm.


    -x-X-x-


    The Next Day ¨C Early Morning


    I stood next to the ocean, my boat nearby. In one hand, I held a spear, and I wore tight, form-fitting clothes.


    I didn''t wear much today, believing that too many layers wouldn''t keep me warm enough and would only weigh me down.


    To me, the key to world peace lay with the Avatar¡ªan overpowered savior capable of achieving it through sheer strength.


    If he didn''t appear before Sozin''s Comet, we were all screwed.


    Once the Fire Nation conquered the Earth Kingdom and the North Pole, I believed it would be our turn to become slaves.


    Invading nations always claimed some moral high ground, but I''d seen enough in my past life to know better. In World War II, for example, Black people had been kidnapped from Africa and displayed in zoos.


    If the Fire Nation won, at best, I might become a slave, and at worst, I might be treated like an animal. I had no intention of allowing that to happen.


    I dived into the icy water. The cold didn''t bother me as much as I thought it would.


    Then, an idea struck me.


    I waved my hand slowly, and the water above me began to spin, forming a rotating bubble that held air inside. Guiding it down to my level, I smiled as I realized it was full of oxygen.


    ''Keeping it beside me would be too difficult. It''s better to summon air from above as I move,'' I thought.


    I began swimming, using waterbending to boost my speed. I was faster than a fish in the sea. Whenever I spotted an iceberg, I dove deeper to inspect it, hoping to find something unusual¡ªlike a bald kid or a massive flying bison.


    Unfortunately, my search for the day turned up nothing. As my body temperature dropped dangerously low, I decided to swim back to my boat. On the way, I spotted some fish and used waterbending to lift them out of the water, freezing them on the ice.


    When I finally emerged, I was shivering violently, nearly frozen to death.


    I thrust my arms forward, bending the water out of my soaked clothes and leaving them dry. Then I grabbed a thick fur coat, threw it on, and hugged myself tightly. Adjusting my breathing helped me warm up a little.


    ''If I keep searching like this, I''ll catch a cold,'' I thought, shivering.


    Suddenly, I heard someone approaching. Their footsteps were steady and deliberate, as if they weren''t trying to hide their presence.


    I turned to see Katara holding a steaming cup of something.


    "Now I''m curious. For the past few days, you''ve been swimming in the freezing water. What are you up to?"


    "Juice? When did you learn to make that?" I asked as I accepted the cup. Inside were some sea fruits you''d have to travel far to find.


    "Boil it, smash it, and filter it. You know how dry the weather is. And we do have dried wood," she explained.


    Her words made me think about dried wood. Did she bring it from the forest seen in The Legend of Korra? If so, that place was dangerous. Even without dark spirits, regular spirits weren''t something humans should mess with.


    "Anyway, enough with changing the subject. What are you doing? Ever since that fever, you''ve been acting weird," she said, her big blue eyes scanning my face for any sign of dishonesty.


    "I''m just trying to improve my bending. Learning how to use my environment to my advantage is essential," I replied, sipping the hot juice. It warmed me up, but it cooled quickly in the icy air.


    Man, I''d kill for some hot tea¡­ maybe made by Iroh. It was unlikely to happen, but a man could dream.


    "Oh, come on. You''re not planning on fighting a naval battle by yourself, are you?" she deadpanned.


    I forced a small smile. "Try not to jinx it."


    Suddenly, a loud sound echoed across the ice. Someone was running toward us.


    We turned to see Sokka, panting and out of breath, sprinting with all his might.


    "Katara, Ryuk, bad news! Wait a minute¡ªwhat are you two doing alone together?" Sokka asked, his gaze narrowing at me.


    "Chatting," I replied. "No need to let your imagination run wild. What''s wrong?"


    "A Fire Nation ship is approaching! You two¡­ don''t show any bending," he urged. "Act normal."


    He glanced at the pile of fish near my feet. "Oh, come on! Catching this much will make them think we''ve got benders here!"


    Katara covered her mouth, looking worried.


    Unlike the siblings, my concern was different. Was it Zuko? This didn''t make sense. Zuko wasn''t supposed to appear until Aang woke up. But who knew¡ªthis universe might be a parallel one.


    "Let''s see what''s going on," I said, standing up and stretching as if nothing unusual was happening.

 Chapter 4 - 4

    When I arrived at the tribe''s location, I found most of the children and elderly outside their houses, gathered in one spot.


    They stared at the masked soldiers, who were dressed in red and black armor and surrounded them. I turned my attention to the large ship, which was producing black smoke that rose, almost creating a black cloud in the sky, polluting the otherwise pure, dry air. I felt like I was choking just standing next to it. I resisted the urge to cough several times and walked in. Since I wasn''t used to this kind of air with my current body, I could barely handle the smoke.


    "What''s going on?" Sokka asked as my eyes darted left and right.


    To my dismay, I didn''t spot an old man named Iroh, nor a prince with a red scar on his eye. But on the bright side, it could mean that it was earlier than I had estimated.


    ''If everyone in this parallel world is older, there''s a chance Iroh is dead of old age. But thinking about it, I believe I heard that the Fire Lord is still young with black hair. I shouldn''t make assumptions other than that everyone here is legal.''


    An elderly woman approached us as the soldiers entered the tents. She said, "They''re here, looking for a Waterbender."


    Katara''s left hand fidgeted. I grabbed her hand, stopping her from making any rash movements.


    "It''s going to be okay," I assured her.


    "Don''t say anything," Katara whispered.


    Suddenly, a group of soldiers, with a bald man at the lead, headed toward us.


    "Look at that. I thought only old hags and little children were around. Seems like there are some young, promising ones here," he remarked.


    "Thank you, mister," replied Sokka. "We''ve been staying here to help our tribe by gathering food for them."


    The bald man looked over my shoulder at the bag I was carrying.


    "What do you have there?" he asked.


    "A bunch of uncooked fish," I replied.


    "Don''t you eat them dried?" he asked.


    "It''s rare to find wood to start a fire," I replied. "One would have to go far to get it."


    "What''s your occupation, young kid?" he asked.


    "I''m a fisherman," I replied. "Though, not a licensed one."


    "For a fisherman, you''ve got a pretty heavy bag," he said, repeatedly slapping the bag on my shoulder.


    "I''m not alone. Sokka and I are good at our jobs," I said, not giving any hint that Katara might be a waterbender. In fact, I acted like I didn''t know what was going on.


    "By the way, why are you asking? Is the Fire Nation planning to help the South by feeding them?" I mused.


    "If you''re tired of life, I can feed you to the fish," he said, "but that depends. If you''re the person we''re looking for, or not."


    I tilted my head, acting confused. "I don''t understand what you''re trying to say."


    "By any chance, is one of you three a waterbender?" He went straight to the point.


    "No," I shook my head. "How did you even think there''s a waterbender?"


    "Very well. Our informant will come and point one of you out." He snorted, clapping his hands and smiling warmly.


    A middle-aged woman appeared from the distance, walking toward us, smiling.


    "Auntie Rakasha! How could you!" Sokka yelled, seemingly accepting his sister''s fate as he looked at the old woman.


    Denying that there was a waterbender, especially after someone had already snitched, would be useless.


    Katara, who was holding my hand, trembled.


    She smiled softly. "My bones are getting stiff, and I was promised to go to a warmer place," Rakasha replied.


    I turned to Katara and smiled softly. "Well, it was fun while it lasted."


    Since it hadn''t been a full week since I awakened my system and memories, the tribe didn''t know I was a waterbender. So, the logical suspect would be Katara.


    She smiled, seeming to suppress a tear. "Yes¡­" she then leaned in, and we kissed. It was expected, I guess. I''m the only boy around who isn''t her brother, and she''s the only girl here. Plus, we had been spending time together. There was some kind of spark.


    Looking at her, it seemed like she had already accepted her fate.


    Well, too bad, I decided. It''s too early for her to die.


    But that kiss was a stupid move. It would alert them to take anyone of us as a hostage had the other decided to escape. That may be the case. That may be not. Humans act based on emotions more than they do based on logic, which made humans illogical creatures.


    "Anyway, who''s the waterbender between these two lovebirds?" The bald man pointed at us, seemingly reading the room.


    Rakasha opened her mouth to speak.


    But suddenly, water circled around her head, forming a sphere.


    I had already taken my stance, and I wasn''t done.


    "Well, they say hell is warm, right?"


    I waved my hands in different directions, and the water sphere spun, snapping the traitor''s neck.


    "I knew it was you. Now, will you die peacefully, or will you make it harder for everyone?" The Fire Soldier leader pointed at me. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "In this cold weather, not even a dick can get hard," I smirked, my heart pounding as the trained soldiers around me took their fighting stances.


    I couldn''t hope to match them in a fight using bending, especially when all I could do was push water, pull it, and make simple shapes.


    On the other hand, I wasn''t hopeless. On my back, my fishing spear hung.


    If I could catch a fast fish in the sea with it, I could certainly catch a soldier''s head.


    One of the soldiers jumped, turned, and kicked. Fire appeared next to his leg, following his kick.


    I swung my spear upward. The ice ¡ª frozen water ¡ª rose, forming a small wall that absorbed the attack.


    [Discovering Ice Bending under Waterbending Skill]


    [+ Skill: Freeze]


    [Waterbending up to Level 6]


    [Chi Bending up to Level 3]


    ''Icebending. A big ship sailing. Hold on a second. I''ve got an idea. Let''s hope they are pissed off enough that they don''t take hostages.''


    I smirked.


    "What are you smiling for?" The bald man asked, fire igniting around his hand, ready to fly toward me at any moment.


    "I''ll show you my secret technique," I replied. Behind the soldiers was their ship and the sea. All I needed to do was provoke them a little so they would follow me.


    I raised my hands and swung them. With my waterbending level increasing, I could tell I could put more chi into my bending.


    A layer of ice rose, intercepting the fire streams from the firebenders, before turning into a wave that headed toward them.


    The wave was fast, but not impactful. All it did was shake them off balance. I ran toward them, passed by them, and continued on. Behind them was the sea.


    The leader tried to chase after me, sending a few fireballs in my direction. I ignored him, spun, gave him a middle finger, and dove into the water.


    ''Part one of my plan is done. Now, I just need them to follow me.''


    I sneered, coming to the surface and swimming at high speed.


    The Fire soldiers left the tribe and boarded their ship.


    ''Good. They''re too angry at my middle finger to remember to take a hostage. Now, let''s swim at a speed they think they can catch up to.''

 Chapter 5 - 5

    While swimming, I used my waterbending to push the water around me forward, rather than using my hands and feet to propel myself. This gave me a higher speed than the ship that was chasing me. However, I intentionally slowed down a bit and changed direction instead of moving aimlessly.


    There was a reason for this¡ªit was to trap them.


    As the Fire Soldiers continued chasing me, occasionally a fireball would be launched in my direction.


    But since we were in the South Pole and there was no sun at this time of year, their power was minimal, and taking me down from a distance would be difficult. Not to mention, it was easy to dodge their fire by sinking a bit deeper into the water.


    "Alright, honey, let''s keep going," I muttered to myself as I turned my head.


    They were still chasing me, and the one in the lead had a determined look in his eyes, as if he were a hunter and I was the prey. Well, I was.


    As I moved, I opened the system''s screen and checked the log.


    [Killing a weak, old woman]


    [+100 accumulated EXP]


    Accumulated experience was a good thing, I guess. But such a pitiful amount wasn''t very useful in my current situation.


    Anyway, I poured the 100 experience points into Chi Bending. Hopefully, it would help me in the future.


    As time passed, the cold seeped into my bones. Although I was a native of the South Pole, there was a limit to how much I could handle. Luckily, moving my body helped warm me up, and I could control the temperature of the water to a certain degree. After about an hour, I was freezing to the point of near death.


    I spotted land ahead and jumped onto it. We were still in the South Pole, but I had led them into an isolated area where no one lived.


    As soon as I got out of the water, I felt my body burning¡ªliterally.


    Luckily, I was a waterbender, so I could control the heat of the water around me.


    Had it been anyone else, they would have kissed their limbs, if not their life, goodbye.


    Being exposed to the cold water made the air feel warm, but it didn''t stop me from shivering.


    "I might play with the firebenders a bit," I muttered to myself, already thinking of a risky plan. Maybe they''d give me more accumulated experience than that old lady did.


    Thinking about her, I knew her well. She had always acted like a sweet grandmother, asking about everyone''s well-being. But who knew she was a traitor?


    I had flashes of our time together. Sure, I was originally from Earth, but that didn''t erase the 17 years I had spent living here.


    Although it was a shame she ended up dead, I had no regrets. If I hadn''t killed her, she might have told them about Katara or me. But it didn''t matter now. All she got from this was death.


    ''Lucky me. She didn''t tell them about the gender of the waterbender.'' I rubbed my forehead.


    It could also be that the Fire Soldiers thought Rakasha was lying and leading them into a trap. Who knows? Since I had demonstrated my waterbending skills, I would be the one to take the blame.


    The ship reached the land and stopped. They didn''t give me any time to prepare mentally. Some of them jumped off the ship and began shooting fire streams at me.


    All I could do was raise my hands in defense and bend the ice upward.


    [Waterbending +50 XP]


    Apparently, bending ice was more rewarding than bending water at this point.


    Usually, I shouldn''t have been that good at bending. But I guess the fear of death was making me discover new things about myself.


    All I had to do now was wait for them to release the anchor.


    As soon as I heard the anchor drop, I jumped back into the water and sank deeply.


    As I swam around the anchor, I froze the water around it, turning it into ice, all while wearing an evil smirk on my face.


    [Freeze: +50 XP] [Freeze: +60 XP] Freeze ++++


    [Freeze up to Level 2] sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Freeze up to Level 3]


    The more chains I froze, the higher my skill level became.


    Not only that, the ice I could create grew larger and larger.


    And with each level-up, the ice felt colder.


    Maybe if I reach absolute zero one day¡­ who knows?


    With that thought in mind, I turned in another direction, swimming as fast as I could, heading back to the tribe''s location.


    I needed to deliver a message to Katara and Sokka: find the Avatar and leave the South Pole as soon as possible.


    Katara had made a stupid move by kissing me in front of the enemy, which meant she could be taken as a hostage. A stupid move, but one that provided me with enough heat while swimming in the freezing water for so long.


    Though, I wondered. In the Avatar show, they never seemed to use hostages¡­ but that could be because Iroh and Zuko were the ones chasing after the Avatar.


    I had no idea if other Fire Soldiers shared the same level of morality, so I needed to get the message to Katara and Sokka.


    Man, I was getting tired of all this. I now knew I would become a wanted man. The Fire Nation would chase me wherever I went. And I wasn''t that good at fighting or bending. After all, I could only bend water in front of me. I had limited reaction speed and no battle experience¡­ well, no break-dance fight experience, at least.


    ''If someone from the "Step Up" movies or Bollywood were to reincarnate in this world, they''d be OP.''


    With that thought in mind, I arrived at the tribe''s location. Some elders were gathered around Rakasha''s body, discussing her funeral. When they spotted me, they didn''t shoot me hateful glares or anything.


    Katara, who had been in shock when I left, saw me and ran toward me.


    Sokka gave me a sharp glare as he approached.


    Katara hugged me, her voice filled with concern. "You shouldn''t have come back. You should have run away. They''ll catch up to you in no time."


    "Don''t worry," I replied. "I froze their anchor. With the weather the way it is, their ship will be stuck for a few days." That''s what I hoped. They''d have to wait for a long time, and I doubted the firebenders would have enough tolerance for the cold to come here on foot or by swimming. Even if they did, they''d be in a weakened state.


    Wait, this gave me another idea.


    "But they''ll catch up anyway," she stressed, placing her hands on my shoulders.


    "You know, usually, I''d get angry if something were going on between you two. But I have to thank you for taking the blame for my sister," Sokka said. "For a second, I thought I''d lost her."


    "We should escape together," Katara suggested.


    "We''re not in a hurry to escape. Well, not today," I shook my head. "Anyway, guys, I have something urgent to tell you."

 Chapter 6 - 6

    "Put on more firepower." Kao, the captain of one of the Fire Nation ships, bit his bottom lip.


    He stood in front of the anchor, while his men shot streams of fire at it endlessly. They had used coal to heat up the ship, but the defrosting process was taking too long.


    "Sorry, sir. At this rate, it will take the whole day to defrost it," reported a soldier.


    "Why don''t you go under the water and heat up the chains?" suggested another soldier.


    "We can''t ignite fire underwater," a third one said frustratedly, removing his helmet.


    "That damn waterbender. He dares to trap us."


    "Should we use the coal? It would save us a lot of time."


    "And how do you expect us to get back to the Earth Kingdom or any nearby port?" Kao snapped at his soldier. Coal was a valuable resource for their machines. As for physical labor, his men could always replenish their energy with food.


    Even if they exhausted all the food they had, they could force the Water Tribe to hand over their rations or gather more food.


    Maybe Kao would do that, as a form of revenge against that boy from the Water Tribe.


    ''But something''s suspicious. That boy didn''t seem stressed. Yet, when the old woman was about to point him out as the bender, he killed her. It was almost like he was trying to protect something. Kao thought. Wait. That girl kissed him and cried... Could she be a waterbender too? I don''t know. But it''s worth capturing her. She could make a nice hostage.''


    -x-X-x-


    "So, you''re telling us that we should wait here for a bald young man, who''s supposed to be the Avatar, but he''s hiding under one of the many icebergs around here?" Sokka asked, wanting to confirm what he had just heard.


    "Yes. That''s what the spirits told me in my dream," I said.


    To explain how I knew things, I made up a story about a spirit giving me knowledge in a dream. To make it more believable, I claimed that the spirit had also given me the power of waterbending. The fact that I suddenly had waterbending abilities after 17 years of not having them was proof enough for Katara and Sokka.


    "That makes sense," Katara nodded.


    "Can you tell that spirit to visit me next time?" Sokka grinned, pointing to himself with his thumb. He didn''t hide his desire to gain waterbending powers. Well, I didn''t blame him. The power to bend elements was awesome. The feeling of having power over others was also pretty addictive.


    I shook my head. "Ever since that day, the spirit hasn''t visited me."


    "But it wasn''t that long ago. Maybe you should wait a bit longer," Sokka said, holding onto my arm with both hands.


    "It''s not up to me whether you get powers or not. Let me go," I grumbled.


    "Fine." Sokka snorted and released my arm.


    "Anyway," Katara said, "What are you going to do now? You''re not leaving, but you''re not staying. What''s next?"


    I smiled smugly. "You know, when you use your Chi for too long, you end up feeling exhausted, right?"


    "Chi? You mean the energy that flows inside the body when you bend?" Katara asked. "I feel it sometimes."


    "When it''s night, the Fire Soldiers will take a break, eat, and replenish their energy to continue working on the anchor. How do you think they''ll feel in the morning when they face a bigger problem?"


    I looked at Katara. She could be the one to help me.


    "Katara."


    "Yes?" She looked up at me with her big blue eyes.


    "Can you freeze and defrost the water?" I asked.


    "I know how to do that," Katara replied. "Just imagining the water moving slowly and getting solid should do the trick. But I can''t control or bend the ice yet."


    "Perfect," I replied. "Your role is crucial."


    "What''s my role?" Sokka asked.


    "Bringing good luck," I said, shrugging. I didn''t know how to answer without hurting his feelings, so I tried to cheer him up.


    "I get it. I''m not much help." Sokka crossed his arms, turned his head, and snorted.


    "You may turn into a big help with your boomerang skills, but they''re not needed yet." I patted him on the shoulder. "For now, let''s eat. I''m starving."


    -x-X-x-


    After the meeting with Katara, we had a delicious lunch. Sokka had grabbed his secret stash of sea fruits and dry wood to cook a nice meal for me to say goodbye. Well, the good news for him was that I''d be sticking around for a few more days.


    As the Fire Nation soldiers struggled, I asked Katara to accompany me to help. Sokka refused to let her go alone with me, not after that kiss, and insisted on coming with us. So, the three of us got into the boat.


    ''Why is Sokka so focused on me? It''s not like I initiated the kiss. And I''m here to take down the enemy, not to mess with his sister. Though I''ve considered the idea for years... Well, I guess he''s got a point.''


    While I stood in the boat, Katara was behind me, pushing and providing the boat with momentum. After a half hour of fast travel, we spotted a huge Fire Nation ship.


    As we got closer, I noticed black smoke covering the sky.


    Man. They had used a lot of coal to melt the ice.


    When I jumped off the boat, I submerged under the water and swam toward the anchor. I saw that a large chunk of ice had melted, and only a thin layer of ice remained on the anchor. I popped my head above the water and waved at Katara. Since it was getting dark and we hadn''t lit any torches, the people on the ship would have a hard time noticing us.


    Katara, who had been briefed on the plan, jumped into the water and followed my movements.


    I signaled to her to start freezing the water. To avoid freezing each other, we stayed close and pointed our hands forward. I created the first layer of ice around the anchor and chains, and Katara reinforced it. We tried to make the ice as large as possible. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Freeze up to level 5]


    After holding our breath for over a minute, we surfaced and swam back to the boat.


    "Are you done?" Sokka asked.


    Katara, who was breathing heavily, replied, "No."


    My breath, on the other hand, was calm. It seemed I''d gotten used to those icy cold morning showers.


    "We still have a couple more rounds to go. Once they start feeling desperate, they''ll either move on foot or cut the chains. But I''m not sure how a ship without an anchor would move."


    "I don''t think they''ll do it. The risk is too high," Sokka shook his head.


    "I''m not sure. They may leave someone to steer the ship, and they could always send soldiers to land. I don''t want to know what they''d do for revenge." I replied, "But they''ll be exhausted by then, and we might have a chance to win. We could do something else." I smirked.


    "So, what''s the best course of action?" Katara asked.


    I glanced at the ship. It didn''t have a sail, but it did have a motor. My South Pole friends didn''t seem to know how such a machine operated.


    I smiled and nodded as I folded my arms. "This is going to be great. This is why I like ice."

 Chapter 7 - 7

    After waiting for a few hours until Sokka and Katara showed signs of sleepiness, I gave them instructions.


    "Okay, guys, keep your distance. This might be a bit dangerous."


    Since the siblings were getting sleepy, the same could probably be said for the soldiers who had come from a far distance.


    There was a chance they''d leave someone on guard, but I doubted they would leave many. They were in the middle of nowhere, chasing after one man. It wasn''t like that man was a one-man army to warrant extra guards.


    After Sokka gave me a thumbs-up, I jumped into the water and swam toward the ship. Looking at it, I mused about how to climb the high metallic wall with no gaps in between. Then, an idea struck me.


    As water wrapped around my hands, I placed my left hand on the metal and froze the water slightly around the part in contact with the surface. I pulled myself up, placed my other hand, and froze the water around it. Then, I melted the ice around my left hand, raised it, and froze it again.


    I repeated the process several times and found it relatively easy to climb this way.


    I could have taken less time by throwing myself along with water onto the deck, but that would''ve alerted everyone.


    When I finally reached the deck, I opened my storage and pulled out a spear. I tiptoed toward the nearest chamber in the direction of the smoke. I assumed that was where the engine was. If I could freeze that, along with the coal, the Fire Nation soldiers would taste despair.


    Somehow, I felt a guilty pleasure imagining their reaction when they realized what had happened.


    Although they were on the "bad guys" side, I wasn''t entirely on the "good guys" side myself.


    It was obvious. I didn''t want this war to end for some higher cause. I just wanted my freedom guaranteed.


    As I got closer to the engine room, I noticed a soldier standing nearby, seemingly distracted. But as soon as I moved closer, he sensed my presence. His years of training must have paid off.


    Before he could react, I thrust my spear¡ªa weapon capable of hunting fast-moving fish with a 40¨C50% success rate.


    [A skill has been discovered]


    [Hunting] Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Hunting up to Level 2]


    [Since Fishing is the foundation of Hunting, the skill with the lower level between the two will gain double experience until they match.]


    [Defeating a trained soldier]


    [+500 accumulated XP]


    A trained soldier but not a firebender. I deduced this based on the notification.


    As the soldier fell, I pulled out my spear.


    Then, an idea struck me.


    In the past few days, I''d tried storing fish. The system didn''t allow storing living beings, but once they died, the fish became storable.


    Curious, I approached the fallen soldier and attempted to store him and his gear in my inventory. It worked.


    Another idea crossed my mind.


    Why not store the whole ship?


    I touched the ship and tried to move it, but the system displayed a message:


    [Action isn''t allowed. Storage capacity is too low. Try upgrading it.]


    ''How the hell do I upgrade it?''


    In response, a tab about storage appeared:


    [Storage Level 1 (0/20,000)]


    It seemed I needed around 20,000 accumulated XP to upgrade my storage, which still wouldn''t be enough to store an entire ship.


    ''Guess I should be glad I can loot the Fire Nation soldiers. Glad, huh? Since when did I start thinking of this as a game?''


    I entered the engine room. I could see the fire burning, coal piled on the side, and other machinery. The engine was deep within the ship, and accessing it could result in burns.


    ''What if I throw water in quickly and freeze it?''


    I opened my storage and took out a couple of leather barrels filled with drinkable water. I bent the water and moved it carefully. The heat caused it to start boiling, but I controlled the temperature using my freezing skill.


    The higher my "Freeze" skill level, the colder the ice I could create.


    I directed the water into the engine room, froze it, and bent the ice in random directions. I wasn''t entirely sure what I was doing, but I believed I was ruining their ship.


    Next, I turned to the coal. I wrapped it in water and froze it as well.


    [Freeze ¡ª Level 5 (500/1600)]


    Satisfied, I exited the engine room. On the deck, I spotted a few scattered guards.


    Thinking about further sabotage, I decided to target their food supplies.


    I donned the gear of the soldier I had defeated. Luckily, the Fire Nation uniform covered most of the body. As long as I hid my tanned face and blue eyes, I should avoid detection.


    Disguised, I wandered the ship until I found the kitchen. Inside, there was a locked storage room. Using waterbending, I manipulated water into the lock, froze it, and twisted it open.


    Inside were grains, meats, precooked meals, and even canned food.


    I thought, ''Lucky me for having storage.''


    Feeling no remorse, only satisfaction, I stored all their food. They probably stole it from some poor Earth Kingdom village anyway. To me, these soldiers were already dead.


    After finishing my work, I climbed down the ship and met up with Sokka and Katara at the boat. We began rowing back toward the tribe''s location.


    ''If this works, I can drive the Fire Nation soldiers to despair. Fighting them would be so much easier.''


    The trip was mostly silent. None of us dared speak until we neared the tribe.


    "So, what did you do?" Sokka asked.


    "I ruined their ship," I replied with a smile.


    "Really? Does this mean you solved the problem and they aren''t coming back?" Katara smiled widely. "That''s awesome! You don''t have to leave!"


    Her delight reminded me of that goodbye kiss, and my heart skipped a beat. I kept my face neutral. I wasn''t smooth with women, but I wasn''t clueless enough to ignore what a kiss meant. Still, I couldn''t talk about it in front of her brother.


    "Well, maybe. I need some time to think before making a decision," I replied. "I''m only human, and I need to reflect before I risk making a mistake."


    But deep down, I felt I might have to leave. Bigger troubles could be on the way.


    "Okay, you sound like the grandmas from the tribe," Sokka grumbled.


    "True," Katara agreed.


    I crossed my arms. "What can I say? Wisdom comes with age."


    "You realize I''m the oldest one here?" Sokka said.


    "If you multiply your age by zero, it''s still zero," I teased.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Sokka asked, looking at his hands as if trying to count. "How can you multiply anything by zero?" He created a slit with his index and thumb. He then moved his other hand''s middle finger in and out. "How does that even make sense?"


    "Anyway¡­" I interrupted, resisting the urge to chuckle. "the battle with the Fire Nation isn''t over. They might come here on foot. We''ll wait two days and see."

 Chapter 8 - 8

    Kao woke early, ready to enjoy one of the world''s finest coffees, made from beans only found in the South of the Fire Nation.


    The last couple of days had been exhausting, and the fact that they had crossed an entire ocean to reach here made them even more tired.


    It was all thanks to one waterbender bastard.


    ''At least coffee can ease my mind. Once I kill that bastard, I''ll get my special 100-year-old drink. I had kept it for a special occasion, like getting promoted, but I swear it will taste even better after killing that bastard.''


    Kao thought, enjoying his sadistic ideas. By now, the ice around the anchor should have melted.


    When he stepped out of his cabin, he found the soldiers staring at the ship with pale faces.


    He stood at the edge of the ship and looked down at the men on the land.


    "What''s going on?" Kao asked.


    "Captain¡­ dud¡­" the man was barely able to form a sentence, looking confused about where to start.


    "Dud what!?" yelled Kao.


    "The ice is back," whined one of the soldiers, who was known to be well-composed. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That bastard! He must have come back at night!!" said Kao. "Does he think we''re easy targets? We''ll cut off the anchor and leave the rest to our ancestors'' souls and fate. Does that asshole waterbender think we''re easy to push around? I''m crazier than him!"


    "About that¡­" a soldier came from behind the captain.


    Kao turned around and realized he was talking to the one responsible for the ship''s maintenance.


    "All of our coal is gone. And when I tried to use normal wood, I found that the engine has been damaged beyond repair. We can''t move!" the maintenance soldier said, his tone full of despair.


    Kao, boiling with anger, looked at him with wide eyes.


    The soldier didn''t repeat what he had said.


    Kao felt like it was a nightmare.


    He grabbed the maintenance guy by the arm guards and shook him. "Wait¡­ wait. You just didn''t have breakfast. Once you eat well and warm up, you''ll figure it out."


    He shook his head. "There''s a lot of ice inside. I could see cuts in the pipes, and there''s a leak. Unfortunately, it''s beyond repair¡­"


    "We can forge a new one, right?" Kao asked. "We have blacksmiths on the ship."


    "Not possible in this icy land." The maintenance guy shook his head.


    Kao laughed forcefully and hit his arm. "We''ll figure out a solution. For now, ignite the fire and we''ll eat."


    "About that?" the maintenance guy rubbed his own cheek.


    "Don''t tell me¡­" Kao said, dreading the next words.


    "All of our stored food is gone as well. All that''s left are the snacks the soldiers kept under their beds."


    In his long life, Kao had seen despair in the eyes of both young and old. He had been a fierce warrior, and he knew how much the enemies of his glorious nation had suffered.


    But for the first time in his life, Kao was the one feeling despair.


    ''This is what I was doing to people.'' He looked at his soldiers with sad eyes. "Bring me a map. How long will it take us to get there on foot?"


    They weren''t waterbenders, and they couldn''t swim fast without risking being attacked by the monsters in the sea. They also didn''t have the high cold tolerance of waterbenders, nor could they predict the weather.


    The only way was to travel around to the Water Tribe by foot.


    "We guessed you''d ask that, captain. It''ll take about two to three days."


    "Three days. No food." Kao felt like going back to the Fire Nation, hugging his mom, and crying.


    "Let''s not forget how heavy the armor is." remarked one soldier.


    -x-X-x-


    Somewhere else.


    I was away from Sokka and Katara, enjoying my spoils. I couldn''t show them the food or anything I had. I couldn''t explain the existence of the storage. I couldn''t just say that a spirit had given it to me.


    But I guess when I go back to attack the Fire Nation soldiers, when they''re at their hungriest and weakest, I could make an excuse by bringing some food back to the tribe.


    I looked at the fire coming from the coal. Above it was a pan with a steak. I was waiting for the right moment to flip it. The rich aroma filled my nose, making me salivate. Man, it had been a lifetime since I had some nice grilled meat. Yummy. Yummy. The excitement washed away any small amount of guilt or sorrow I felt for the Fire Nation soldiers.


    Thinking about the Fire Nation soldiers, I believed they should be in despair.


    ''What would I do if I had no food, no coal, and my ship was broken? The most logical thing would be to take boats and fill them with soldiers. But that wouldn''t be enough for the whole crew. And if I were them, I wouldn''t try fighting a waterbender lurking in the water. Plus, there are other dangers. Would they risk it? The other way is the safer route. They could walk to the Southern Tribe. It''ll take two days or more if they don''t take breaks. They may freeze to death¡­ no, no. They can warm themselves up with fire,'' I thought.


    I rubbed my nose, thinking about two strategies. First, I can block them in the water. Second, I can hunt them in the wild.


    ''There''s no need to hurry. They are trained soldiers with experience fighting other benders¡­ but once drained, I''ll have a higher chance. Also, I wonder how to use the accumulated experience. Using the points I have wouldn''t increase my Waterbending. Maybe my Freeze or Hunting skills. But what I''m really curious about is Chi Bending. It makes Waterbending easier. I wonder what else it could do.''


    [Using 600 Accumulated Points]


    [Chi Bending up to Level 4 (300/800)]


    [+ The ability to infuse Chi into your body. Increases power by 20%.]


    I looked at my hands and used my new muscle memory, moving a mysterious energy with my mind. It felt as if I had grown a new limb. My hands suddenly felt tingly and hot.


    [Chi Bending +2 XP]


    I guess I found a way to train Chi Bending. I just can''t use it too much right now because I have firebenders to watch out for.


    ''This form¡­ it increases my power, but it''s way more exhausting than Waterbending. I can use it in short intervals to save energy. On the other hand¡­''


    I waved my hand, and water flew out of the cup.


    ''The response time for Waterbending has improved slightly. Slight improvements can add up. Interesting,'' I thought to myself.

 Chapter 9 - 9

    A full day had passed since Ryuk had made the Fire Soldiers taste despair.


    Although he had no previous battle experience, he still gained an advantage by using his natural environment and stealing food and coal from the soldiers.


    That may have been cruel, but he was human, and for that, he needed to finish them off. Those invaders had to know that they would only receive what they gave. If they wanted to live happily, they could stay out of other people''s homes.


    Sokka was on a boat, holding a boomerang, guarding the sea.


    On the other hand, Katara was standing behind him.


    His sister may not have been a trained bender, but she had been bending since she was 12 years old and could use some good tricks while in the water.


    ''But Ryuk seems to be more talented¡­ And she seems to be into him. I should keep guard. I don''t want to end up an uncle at this age¡­ But he can protect her though. At the same time, he seems to want to leave and wants us to look for a bald monk.'' Sokka had been doubtful about the existence of a monk. But the fact that Ryuk had gained bending and linked it to spirits gave him credibility.


    He rubbed his head, feeling a headache. It was such a tough job being an older brother and fighting the Fire Nation soldiers at the same time. But as the oldest male here, he had the duty to protect the tribe.


    ''Anyway. What''s Ryuk doing? He had left with no food and walked the other way¡­''


    -x-X-x-


    I was walking alone. The ice was everywhere. The land was completely white. It was almost impossible to see.


    That''s why, before coming here, I picked up an old white coat made from the fur of a white polar bear that one of the old ladies had. Her husband had it in the past, and she gave it to me when I asked everyone if they had white clothes.


    ''This should work,'' I thought to myself. The only things I could spot around were the black penguins and some rare species that couldn''t be compared to animals from Earth. On the other hand, one wouldn''t be able to spot a bear here, if there even was one.


    With a spear in my hand, I was gliding with my feet on the ice. I used my waterbending to push myself and give myself momentum, then relaxed and focused on my balance.


    After a few hours, I was getting hungry and cold. So, I opened my small storage and grabbed a griller and set it up.


    I then placed some coal, lit it up, and placed some meat on it.


    I stretched my legs and thought about whether I was doing something inhuman. I''d stolen my enemies'' food, destroyed their ship, and taken away their warmth source. But on the other hand, they were firebenders. Just breathing air wouldn''t allow them to make fire out of thin air. So, I didn''t do them harm.


    Besides, in my previous life, I''d heard that fasting puts a person in a state of autophagy, where they turn harmful and diseased cells into protein, fixing the body and prolonging life. It also fixes dopamine levels and regrows the mind. They might be able to feel joy after being so numb for so long.


    "Too bad they won''t live to see the benefits of how kind I was to them," I said as I started chewing on the food. My stomach was happy with me. That''s what mattered.


    Anyway, my attempt to camp and eat didn''t go unnoticed by the monsters.


    A couple of bear-dogs came rushing toward me.


    They were so big and large that they could chew my head off in one bite.


    The first thing I did was circle around myself. The ice beneath me turned into water, pushing me up a few meters in height. I then froze the water below me, turning it into a small ice pillar that I sat above. The bears circled around me, then went to the meat.


    "Okay. Minecraft Iron Golem killing strategy," I said, waving my hand slightly, and the ice turned into water that wrapped around my hand and reshaped itself into a spear-like ice weapon.


    I knew these animals. Korra had one of them as a pet. But these dog-bears were feral animals, non-tamable, and loved to eat anything that had meat.


    Using my hunting skill, I aimed at the first bear and threw the spear.


    Spsh


    The spear pierced the back of its neck, but it didn''t kill it.


    [Hunting up to level 3]


    That was amazing, considering that I hadn''t killed the monster yet.


    The bear that had been chewing on the food lifted its head slightly. When it noticed the shape of its friend, it glared at me angrily. It came to the pillar and started pushing the ice.


    Since one bear was busy with its injury, I could take care of the other without worrying about my back. I melted the ice pillar I was standing on when I jumped. A wave of water fell on the bear. And before it flattened on the ground, I froze the water, trapping the bear inside it.


    [Polar Dog Bear was defeated]


    [+750 accumulated experience]


    Mercilessly, I bent the ice inside, breaking the body of the frozen bear and using the ice shards to throw them at the other injured bear. The shards were cold, but small and not strong enough to break its tough skin. Yet, they got inside its eyes and softer parts. Taking advantage of the momentum, I sent a waterfall to surround the bear. Then, I froze it. Bending the ice, I spun the ball until its head was off.


    [+750 accumulated experience]


    I looked at the broken bodies. One of them could surely be a nice meal for the tribe. But there were more important things to think about. The monsters I''d killed had provided me with 1,500 experience points that I could use.


    Supporting my chin with my hand, I wondered where I could allocate those points.


    In the coming battle, waterbending would be the key to victory.


    But Chi-bending also made bending easier and increased my physical power, which I could use when I had to use a weapon. It might even give me cooler tricks when I leveled it up.


    ''Forget it. It''s a bending battle against an exhausted enemy. If I get a few of them killed, I could use the points I want to level up whatever I want.'' With that, I made up my mind.


    [Waterbending up to level 6]


    -x-X-x-


    Captain Kao was feeling strange as he and his soldiers walked through the ice.


    Unlike what he had expected, he didn''t feel tired or hungry. Instead, he felt more energized and could walk faster.


    Not only that, but when he turned his head, he saw his soldiers in the same state.


    The cold didn''t bother them anymore, nor did the hunger.


    At this pace, they could arrive at the southern path in less than two days. Which meant only a few hours remained.


    "This is strange. Guys, do you feel hungry?" asked one soldier.


    Kao tried to hear what they were saying, trying to understand the state they were in.


    "No. You?" he asked another.


    "Actually, I feel better," said someone.


    "I felt strange. Despite the second day of not eating, my bowel movements are perfect. I pooped a lot."


    Kao rolled his eyes. There it was. That one person who always talked about shit and stuff.


    "Anyway, we should save our energy," said Captain Kao. "Try not to talk unless it''s necessary. There are enough dog-bears and polar bears here."


    "Yes, Captain," they answered in unison.


    -x-X-x-


    "Tonight, we feast!" yelled Captain Kao, looking at a couple of defeated bears that his soldiers had struggled to take down.


    They had found them on the way. Despite using firebending on them, the bears had high vigor and could push through the fire, biting the nearest soldier. Even the armor didn''t do anything against the pressure applied by the bite.


    Luckily, they ambushed the bears with spears and took them down.


    Now, they cut them into parts, and they were about to cook the meat. There was no need for coal or wood. Although it made the food delicious, they still had their firebending, and they could make a barbecue.


    The soldiers soon prepared cooked meat.


    And they sat down to eat, eating to their heart''s content.


    Kao patted his stomach, feeling full all of a sudden. At the same time, he felt drowsy and the desire to fall asleep. When he looked around, he saw the soldiers in the same state.


    It seemed that when they saw the food, they were unable to hold themselves back.


    ''So, if you take a long time without eating, it''s better to eat bit by bit,'' thought Kao. ''In the desert, if those who had been thirsty for a long time drank like they weren''t thirsty, they''d die. Well, I guess some stomach aches aren''t a problem.''


    "Someone keep guard. We''ll be taking a break," Kao closed his eyes slightly, trying to savor the moment of peace.


    "Yes, Captain¡ª" a soldier, despite being tired, tried to reply vigorously.


    Suddenly, a ball of water covered his head before freezing into ice.


    Kao opened his eyes wide. The adrenaline pumped through his system, and he stood up. He felt immense pain in his guts, but he unsheathed his weapon and looked left and right.


    "The waterbender is here! Keep the formation!" he screamed.


    His men groaned but kept trying to hold the formation.


    "Shit. I just ate."


    "My stomach¡­ argh."


    "I''ll kill this waterbender."


    "But where the fuck is he?" Kao asked, looking left and right.


    He must be wearing some kind of white fur coat to hide himself.


    Suddenly, a thin yet large amount of water rose, creating a thin wave. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The firebenders destroyed it easily, despite the water having an advantage over fire.


    A huge amount of steam rose, covering their vision.


    Kao raised his guard, expecting that the waterbender would sneak in at any time.


    "Don''t let your guard down," ordered Kao as he felt pain in his stomach, but his face showed nothing.


    -x-X-x-


    ''Don''t laugh. Don''t laugh. Just as soon as I kill a couple of them, I''ll run away, level up some skills, and then come back for another attack.''


    I was wearing armor from the Fire Nation that I had taken the day I killed the guard.


    At the same time, I was taking my stance, looking for the waterbender with them.

 Chapter 10 - 10

    As my eyelids tightened, my eyes darted left and right, scanning my new teammates for any blind spots. My target was the captain. If a normal soldier gave me 500 experience points, and a normal firebender gave me 1000, then what about the captain?


    Anyway, I had gained one thousand accumulated experience points, which wasn''t enough to level up my waterbending. I quickly checked my system.


    [-Skill Trees:


    Waterbending - 6 (150/3200)


    Chi Bending - 3 (100/400)


    -Skills:


    Hunting - 3


    Fishing - 4


    Freeze - 4]


    Accumulated experience: 1000


    Well, there were a few skills I could level up twice in a row, such as Hunting and Fishing. I could also level up Chi Bending.


    Since I was planning to use hit-and-run tactics, it might be better to level up Chi Bending to increase my speed.


    [Chi Bending up to level 4 (0/800)]


    [Chi Bending effect can be applied to the whole body]


    [Boost speed, power, and bending by 30%]


    [Hunting up to level 4 (0/800)]


    [Freeze up to level 5 (0/1600)]


    I couldn''t afford to dwell on deep thoughts while in the middle of the enemy, so I needed to strike quickly and run away faster. I had to admit that it was a shame I couldn''t level up Chi Bending two levels in a row.


    Anyway, I took the risk and pointed my spear forward, looking in a random direction.


    "The waterbender!!!" I yelled urgently.


    As everyone turned, I thrust my spear toward the captain''s head.


    He didn''t have time to react, and my spear claimed his head.


    ''That''s Hunting level 4 for you. The odds of immobilizing a target are 99.99%.'' S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as everyone was surprised by my action, and before they could make a decision or react, I waved my spear from side to side, creating a wave of water from the icy ground, turning it into a thin water wall that froze into ice.


    [Ding. Killing a Fire Bender Captain]


    [+4000 accumulated XP]


    Without hesitation, I ran and jumped onto the ice, waving my hand to make my feet glide on the ice, which turned into water, giving me an advantage in speed.


    The ice wall didn''t hold, but I had a head start. Fire projectiles rained down on me, but I managed to get away with only one fire projectile hitting me on the shoulder, which struck my arm guard.


    Once I reached drier land, I channeled my Chi around my body and felt a 30% speed boost, which gave me an extra advantage. Just as I made some distance, my armor vanished into thin air, revealing me in white fur attire. Now it was time to camouflage.


    Luckily, I could store my clothes instantly.


    While running, I didn''t erase my footprints on purpose.


    When I thought I had run enough, I started erasing my traces while hiding somewhere nearby.


    If I were lucky, the remaining fire soldiers would follow my steps and come here. When they realized they had lost me, it would be the best time to strike. Anyway, I patted my shoulder, feeling a slight sensation of burn. I bet my skin was red by now.


    This level of pain was something I could handle. Ignoring it, I decided to prepare myself for round two... or was it three? I didn''t know, honestly. But I liked the hit-and-run tactic.


    [Waterbending up to level 7 (0/6400)]


    While waiting, I lowered my coat and looked over my shoulder. Fair enough, there was a burning mark. I needed to cool it. I waved my hand, and a water ball rose from the ground. I controlled its heat, making it colder by channeling my Chi slowly.


    A pleasant sensation ran through my body. It was cold yet comfortable.


    When I looked at the water, I found it glowing with a blue light.


    I opened my eyes widely, realizing what had happened.


    I had just used a healing technique that waterbenders ¡ª especially the females from the North Pole ¡ª would usually use.


    Pushing my neck further backward, I saw that the red mark had vanished. There wasn''t even a scar left.


    [Adding Healing Skill to the Skill Tree: Waterbending]


    As I reached level 7 in waterbending, I realized that not only was the experience requirement exponential, but so was the growth rate.


    I felt that it was worth killing a captain. With a slight wave from my feet, my body smoothly slid on the ice. But I didn''t have time to admire my power-up when there was a squad trying to gain the upper hand on me. I reached a nearby spot and hid my presence, waiting for the firebenders and soldiers to arrive.


    Seeing that I had plenty of experience points left, I poured them into the Hunting skill.


    [Hunting up to level 5]


    As I waited, I used waterbending to reshape the water into spears, before freezing them. What I noticed when using ice spears instead of real ones was that I could make the spears float. I didn''t have to make physical contact to throw them. I realized that I could combine three skills like this: Chi Bending to increase my physical power, Waterbending to enhance my throwing and ease, and Hunting skill to improve accuracy.


    ''Mental note. In the future, I''ll have to learn how to throw more than one spear at a time. But for now, I won''t try it. The battlefield isn''t a place to experiment, but to show the results of training.''


    As I waited, I resisted the urge to grab a snack and chew on it.


    But I decided to be patient.


    Just as everyone was approaching, even though I didn''t hear anything, I could sense ripples, as if the ice was being stomped on. My senses perked. A few minutes later, a bunch of soldiers were approaching, following my footsteps.

 Chapter 11 - 11

    The Fire Soldiers were confused as the footsteps had halted.


    They had lost the track of the man who had just assassinated their captain and one of their friends.


    To say that they were frustrated was an understatement.


    For many hours, they had been working hard to defrost the ice that had trapped their ship. And just when they were about to succeed, they were faced with despair. Their ship had been ruined. The food and the coal had vanished, leaving them with no choice but to travel a long distance on foot, with little to no food.


    And when they finally had food, they were ambushed.


    Their stomachs hadn''t even finished digesting the food when they were attacked.


    They hadn''t been trained for a situation like this, and with no captain around, they didn''t know what to do other than to kill the waterbender and punish him.


    Before he could even escape, they traced him here.


    "Be careful, guys. The trace ends here. He led us here and erased his footsteps on purpose. Don''t go astray."


    "Shouldn''t we divide up? If we stay in the same place, we''d be an easy target."


    "But if we don''t stay together, we could be easily ambushed. Together, we can watch each other''s backs."


    "Man, this idea sucks."


    "What do you know? You''ve only been serving on the battlefield for a year now."


    "Excuse you! I was an honor student, unlike you."


    "Everyone, shut up! We have a bastard to kill."


    The soldiers'' morale was low. With no one to lead them, their formation was a mess. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And while some argued, the sound of a projectile cutting through the air echoed.


    An ice spear pierced through the neck of one of them. Just as the soldiers realized it, another spear hit one of them.


    Luckily, it landed in the middle of his chest plate. But unfortunately for the soldier, taking it in the armor didn''t negate the impact, and he felt unbearable pain.


    "What kind of throwing power is that?" said the soldier, blood dripping from his chin.


    The soldiers raised their swords, and the firebenders ignited flames above their hands. Several meters away, Ryuk had many spears on the ground. Using Chi Bending the moment he threw the spears increased his power dramatically, and switching it off helped conserve energy.


    ''I had no idea,'' he thought, watching the soldiers assume a defensive posture.


    One of the ice spears floated and came to his hand. He threw it. The soldier he aimed at noticed and raised his sword to protect his head.


    Ryuk, anticipating this, took a bending stance and lowered his hand.


    The ice spear changed its trajectory, and instead of hitting the head, it went past the sword and pierced through the neck.


    [Killing a soldier]


    [+500 XP]


    ''Non-benders are worthless compared to firebenders, and firebenders are worthless compared to captains. I guess I should look for the vice captain or something.''


    With that thought in mind, Ryuk began sniping the soldiers.


    But it seemed that killing a couple of them had given away his location¡­ or at least, the general direction. They divided and ran toward him.


    ''It makes it easier to hunt them down if they get closer,'' he thought. And luckily, he didn''t lack any ammo. Being in an icy terrain was his biggest advantage.


    He threw another ice spear, and playfully made it change direction to catch someone off guard, killing him on the spot.


    He repeated this a few more times until they caught up to him.


    [Hunting up to level 6]


    And when they were close enough to shoot at him, his genius gave him an idea: to get further away.


    He used his waterbending to slide away. Being in the South Pole, especially during the sunless season, gave him a huge advantage over the firebenders. They were nerfed by the cold, and the weather wasn''t in their favor. On the other hand, he had water all around him.


    On land, firebenders had an advantage over waterbenders, who usually kept their ammo in bottles. But here, it was a different story.


    As the Fire Nation soldiers were about 10 meters away, Ryuk didn''t run away immediately. Instead, he took a risk. What made him take it was the fact that his waterbending skill had leveled up, and he was more comfortable using it in combat.


    He slammed his hand on the ground, raising a small wave of water and pushing it forward with momentum. A few soldiers tried to avoid it, but fewer succeeded, and the water froze around them. He twisted his hand, twisting the ice and breaking the bones of those trapped inside it.


    The others caught up to me, and a couple of fire streams rose, which I easily blocked with the help of the ice.


    --------------


    "See you later, losers," I mocked them before gliding across the ice, flickering away. On my way, I saw a few wild animals and smirked. The scent of blood must have attracted them. To these animals, blood wasn''t just blood; it indicated the existence of a nearby food source.


    After crossing a considerable distance, I took my time to wisely use my points. Thanks to the sniping, defense, and playing with the water, I had gained a massive amount of experience in waterbending, which wasn''t enough to level up. But with the points I had earned from killing the soldiers, I now had just enough to level it up.


    I poured all of my experience points into waterbending, leaving me with zero points.


    [- Skill Trees:


    Waterbending - 8 (200/12000)


    Chi Bending - 5 (100/400)


    - Skills:


    Hunting - 6


    Fishing - 4


    Freeze - 4


    Accumulated experience: 0]


    It had been a stressful day, but it had earned me an honest paycheck. I had gained a massive increase in my waterbending skill. If I had trained for months, I might have reached this level. Just to test how skilled I had become, I waved my hands, and I could move the water with ease. Even mental effort played a role along with the body motions.


    The water flowed around my arms, taking the shape of an octopus arm. When I moved it, it was easy to control. It was easy to stretch and bind. I felt that with more practice, I could create a second hand. I would no longer have to stand up to grab a bottle of water or food nearby. But on second thought, I had a storage, so this new skill couldn''t make my life much easier.


    ''Okay, later, I''ll practice turning the tip into a blade. Or better yet, I could make arms around my shoulders and back and learn how to use them. But fighting in that style would require a high level of agility. Man, I wish the system could increase my physical stats. But I guess I''ll work with what I have.''


    I started bending the ice beneath me, creating several ice spears. At the same time, I wondered if I had to use the Hunting skill only with a spear. Couldn''t I use it with a boomerang like Sokka? But again, the battlefield wasn''t a place for testing.


    Anyways, the firebenders didn''t catch up to me. I could hear their footsteps, and their numbers seemed to be reducing. I smirked, thinking that I knew what they were planning. Instead of being an easy target, they decided to disperse and try to catch me off guard from all directions, cutting off my escape routes. But unbeknownst to them, I was now ready to fight, thanks to my increased waterbending skills.


    I took a step forward and thrust both of my arms. Two spears shot up from the ground, hitting two of the soldiers who had gotten closer. They surely had their guards up, but because I was super focused, I could change the direction of the spears to hit them where their guard was lowered. One of them had a good reaction speed and managed to dodge, but the other wasn''t so lucky. I didn''t run away but instead charged at them, water wrapping around my arms and turning into whips. I swung the whips at the nearest soldier. Just as I gained high momentum, I controlled the water at the tip, freezing it and reshaping it into a blade. Unfortunately, the blade wasn''t very sharp, but it was effective as it left a deep cut on the soldier''s neck.


    At the same time, I felt heat on my face. Without thinking, I made the whips wrap around my face, welcoming a fire stream that hit me there. The force of the fire made me take a couple of steps back.


    The soldier who had shot me was above me, raising his leg to perform an axe kick while fire surrounded his calf.


    I raised my arms, and water rose from the ground, surrounding the firebender before freezing around him.


    ''Idiot. Never fight a waterbender on the ocean or icy ground.''


    Somehow, whenever someone stepped on the ice, I felt something, like a ripple. It wasn''t hearing, but it was some information my waterbending gave to my brain. It alerted me that someone was behind me.


    When I turned, I saw a spear being thrust at me. My heart skipped a beat as I channeled my Chi and moved my hand to catch the spear. I pulled the weapon along with the wielder. As the soldier came into view, I gave him a head-butt to the chin while pouring my Chi into my forehead, causing his bones to break. As the soldier fell, I panted and quickly turned my head left and right.


    Those soldiers were dispersed in every direction, and I needed to guard my back.


    ''According to my calculations, only around ten remain,'' I thought to myself, rubbing my chin. I had taken down half the unit by myself, and now, I wasn''t backing down.


    Stretching my arm, I snapped my fingers, creating a barrier of water around me before freezing it, leaving only a small opening for my head. I looked left and right. A few fireballs rained on the barrier, giving away the location of the firebenders.


    Seeing that I had a few points to spare, I opened my system and leveled up my Hunting skill.


    [Hunting up to level 7]


    I created an opening in the barrier. As I formed a few other water spears, I increased my strength with Chi bending and threw them in the direction the fire came from, adding my waterbending to enhance the thrust power of the spears.


    [Freeze up to level 5]


    I ignored the notification and focused on the notifications for dead soldiers. I kept throwing the spears, and sure enough, I killed three more.


    The battle continued like this until another four soldiers were gone. I had gained around 5000 accumulated points, given that I had mostly killed benders. Other than that, I had been waiting for the survivors, hiding in my little shell, promising myself that as soon as they appeared, I would use the ground advantage and freeze them.


    But as I waited, I found myself losing track of time. Minutes, hours, several of them passed. The ice dome wasn''t attacked.


    I didn''t know if they were waiting for me to come out, if they had escaped, or if they wanted me to think they had escaped toward the tribe, only to lure me there.


    Anyways, what should I do? If they had somehow escaped, I should hunt them down before a word of a waterbender gets out.

 Chapter 12 - 12

    The Fire Soldiers were tired of seeing their friends being murdered cruelly and coldly.


    They wanted to take down the Waterbender who had been using guerrilla warfare to reduce their numbers, starting from their captain to the strongest ones.


    Just as he had used ice spears to pierce through their defenses, they realized that they were no match for him.


    Not to mention, ice was everywhere. It was like fighting a waterbender in the ocean, which led them to the conclusion that they couldn''t defeat him. He could kill them and use the ice to escape in the worst case. In the best case, they might kill him, but they would pay a very heavy price.


    "Listen," said a firebender, the oldest of those who remained alive. He turned to the youngest one, holding his shoulder.


    "Yes, father?" replied the young firebender, fear burning in his eyes.


    "You must run away to the main ship, take a small one, and head back to the Earth Kingdom. Find General Zhao and report back."


    "But, father, we can kill the waterbender!" said the son, not wanting to abandon his only father, tears welling in his eyes.


    "This is no time for emotions. Remember your training. If we all die here in vain, then there will be no honor. If you make it back, you''ll have done a great service," replied the father.


    The other firebenders nodded.


    One of them said, "Go back. If we win, we''ll catch up. If not, then, please, tell my wife I loved her."


    Another one said, "Tell my daughter that I was lost somewhere. I don''t want her to miss me."


    "As for me, I don''t have a family. Tsk¡­ at least I won''t have to use my hand every day," said one of the soldiers, earning glares from everyone.


    "This was a heartfelt moment, and you just ruined it. Do you always have to do that?"


    "Hahaha¡­ I couldn''t resist the urge."


    "Anyways, son, go. We''ll buy you time."


    -x-X-x-


    After hours of keeping my guard up against any potential traps, I stepped out of my ice barrier. I walked across the ice, slowly looking around. I tried to look for footprints and traces. I glanced at the dead bodies, trying to match the foot size with the footprints. Sure enough, most of them were different.


    ''There''s a lead suggesting a man is missing. His footsteps are light, so he''s quite skinny. I can assume that he''s young, given that he''s not as bulky as the older soldiers, meaning he probably hasn''t finished his training yet.''


    I walked around, tracing some footprints outside the battlefield.


    Sure enough, there was a long trail showing someone walking in the opposite direction of everyone else.


    Instead of running, I bent the ice to push myself forward, gliding smoothly.


    I hoped I might catch up.


    But I didn''t.


    At one point, the footsteps vanished.


    The bastard erased his tracks. But how? He wasn''t a waterbender. I knew it was possible, but it should be hard for that young soldier.


    -x-X-x-


    At the same time, a young firebender sat on top of a polar bear-dog, which was running for its life with the firebender''s ignited hand near its face. The smart animal seemed to understand the consequences of attacking the human and ran in one direction. Whenever it slowed, the firebender would bring his hand closer. Whenever it hastened, he would pull his hand away.


    After erasing his tracks, the young firebender thought about how the waterbender had tricked them with his footsteps and guided them into a trap. So, he thought, why not do the same? He could lead the waterbender to where the polar bears were, then erase his tracks, use a bear as a fast ride, and escape home. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It had been a few hours, and thanks to exhausting the bear, he had crossed what would have taken him days in just a few hours. Those animals were surely useful.


    ''I need to get out as soon as possible. Father, don''t die. Or else I''ll take revenge¡­'' The firebender suppressed his tears as he kicked the bear. Everyone he had been living with and considered family was either brutally murdered or waiting to be killed, all thanks to a rebellious waterbender.


    -x-X-x-


    "The son of a bitch is lucky." I looked at the sea, at the horizon. The footsteps had ended, but the firebender was nowhere to be seen.


    Tracking someone in the water is so difficult, as anyone could be lost at sea easily, let alone tracking someone.


    Even if I went through the ocean to look for him, I could easily lose my way and end up on a random island, wasting time before eventually coming back.


    By then, the firebender would have arrived at the Earth Kingdom, where many of their nation''s forces resided. Not only that, but they would seek revenge and may send many troops to the South Pole.


    I may have been Josh in my previous life, but that doesn''t erase the fact that I had lived for seventeen years here and had some attachment. Katara could also suffer and get killed, as could Sokka.


    I squeezed my brain, trying to come up with a genius idea. I wasn''t a man with a very high IQ, but I knew I could figure something out.


    I could wait here and fight any firebenders until the Avatar is awakened ¡ª if we ever find him.


    I could go to the Earth Kingdom and try to find the firebender. I was certain I could arrive there before he did.


    In the worst-case scenario, I could start attacking the Fire Nation troops to announce my existence and draw the Fire Nation''s attention away from the South Pole, ensuring everyone here would be safe.


    At the same time, I could hunt for wild beasts and accumulate experience, which would make it much easier for me to fight anyone who tried to chase me down. And let''s not forget, being chased was like receiving free experience points. All I had to do was avoid biting off more than I could chew.


    I held my head in both hands, not liking having to make a difficult decision. But the decisions that are hardest to make are the ones that have the most impact on one''s life.

 Chapter 13 - 13

    "Ryuk." Katara waved her hand at me. She and Sokka were about to run toward me after I had come back to the tribe, with two large bags on my back.


    I raised my palm at them, indicating how tired I was. I had just finished dealing with a bunch of firebenders. I had even gone to check on the location of their ship, and not a single firebender was there. On the way, I had seen the footprints of a polar bear-dog. Yep. It seemed that they had escaped using the bear, and that''s why I couldn''t find them by tracing human footprints.


    "So, what happened?" Sokka asked me, looking me in the eyes.


    "You see," I began, "all of the firebenders have been annihilated. The problem is, one of them managed to escape. Or, to be more precise, the others acted as bait while sending the other to the North."


    Sokka sighed in relief. "Phew. That wasn''t bad. Seeing your expression, I thought the worst might have happened. You''re fine, and that''s what matters." sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I shook my head, looking at Katara, who too had yet to realize the full consequences.


    The two of them¡­ the three of us, had lived in this place for almost two decades. Our job was simply to watch over the elders and the children. Other than that, it was a peaceful life without much struggle.


    It would be obvious that they don''t know what kind of life exists out there in other continents, let alone realize what it would mean for a firebender to escape.


    "What do you think that firebender would do, Sokka?" I asked him, since he was the oldest.


    "Hmm¡­ go home, tell them not to come here and mess with us," he said.


    "Let me think. Let''s say you''re a firebender, and one of the guys who died here was your sister. What would you do in that case?" I asked.


    "Obviously, I would come here to take revenge," Sokka grimaced, his tone becoming harsher.


    I smirked. "Bingo. That''s exactly what''s going to happen. But instead of coming alone like you''re thinking, everyone would gather a large army. Maybe a fleet to take us down. It''s needless to say that the tribe and their lives aren''t as important to them as they are to us."


    Katara put her hands over her mouth. "That makes sense. What do we do? Should I gather everyone and prepare to escape?"


    "To where?" I asked. "This is the South Pole. The deeper parts are so cold and stormy that it''s not suitable to live. Not to mention, we wouldn''t be able to gather food easily since it''s far from the ocean."


    "So, you''re saying we''re doomed in any case?" Sokka thought for a moment. "You two can leave the South Pole for somewhere else. I''ll take care of the tribe and see if there''s a place to move them to."


    "Sokka, you can''t do that!" Katara scolded him.


    "I can," he insisted.


    "You two, can you shut up for a second?" I interjected. "Since I''ve thought about the consequences, it''s obvious that I''ve already thought of a way to minimize the damage."


    "Huh? Really?" Sokka asked. "What is it, then?"


    "I''ll go alone after the firebender," I explained. "There are three possible outcomes. One, the firebender dies at the hands of sea monsters. Two, I meet the firebender before he reaches the Fire Nation military bases and kill him. Three, we get exposed as having a crazy waterbender."


    "In the first two cases, I''ll come back here. In the last case, I''ll cause trouble in the Earth Kingdom and announce myself. This way, they''ll focus their forces on me."


    I had thought about the possibility of them sending troops to kidnap people here to force me out. But that would put their own people in danger, which meant I''d have to chase them down.


    It wasn''t as bad as I had made it sound.


    I could gain experience points thanks to them.


    "Anyways," I said, placing the two bags in front of the siblings, "one bag contains meat, grain, and other types of canned food. The other contains coal and cooking materials. Learn how to use them. It doesn''t take a genius to figure them out."


    Katara placed her hand on my shoulder. "Ryuk, it''s so dangerous to go alone. I''ll go with you."


    "Yeah. As if I''d let my younger sister go alone with a young man," Sokka refused. "I''ll be coming too."


    I chuckled and shook my head. "Sorry, guys, but there''s that vision provided by the spirits. You still need to meet a bald male who claims to be the Avatar in one of the icebergs."


    "Are you being serious!?" Katara snapped. "We''ve been looking for him for some time now. And he''s not even remotely here!"


    To be honest, I had thought about what she said many times. As the person who had been swimming in icy cold water every morning for the last month, I was the one who had lost the most hope of the Avatar''s appearance.


    What if he never appeared? We would be doomed for sure, unless I took the risk myself. I may not be as powerful as someone who could access the Avatar State¡­ or maybe even like Azula for now.


    But experience points were my hope. If I could gain them endlessly, I should be able to power up endlessly. Though leveling up became slower and harder, the Earth Continent had a variety of life forms and dangerous monsters that should be worth a lot of experience points. If I could benefit from that, I could even unlock bloodbending. When I reached that level, I swore I''d break into the Fire Lord''s palace and twist his neck. After that, even if the Sozin Comet came, without a leader, the Fire Nation wouldn''t stand a chance.


    "One month," I said. "Just wait for one month. If he doesn''t appear, you guys come and try to meet me in the Earth Kingdom."


    Whether the firebender would reach the other side of the land, I would still have left. I needed the valuable experience points. Also, I was dying to have a hot shower. The stench of blood was strong on me.


    "How would we find you?" Katara crossed her arms and pouted.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll be famous by then," I said. Knowing this conversation might take a long time, I decided to do what was necessary and then leave.


    "Also, Katara, I''ve discovered an interesting trick when it comes to waterbending." I said, waving my arms in a specific way. Water rose from the land and formed two tentacles around my arms. "Wanna learn the basic moves before I leave?"

 Chapter 14 - 14

    ''My Chi is already exhausted,'' I thought as I got on my boat and opened the sail, the wind pushing it in the direction of the North. Moreover, I managed to increase its speed by bending the water around the boat. At the same time, I received occasional sensory inputs that I had yet to fully interpret. Maybe fish or something were nearby. I couldn''t get used to this new sensation. But I either needed to train it or level up to gain its benefits.


    Turning my head toward the location of the tribe, I found that it was no longer in my sight.


    "At this rate¡­ I should reach the other side quickly," I thought to myself, stopping the motion of my arms and letting the boat move with the momentum it had gathered.


    At the same time, I scanned the horizon.


    The ocean was quite violent today, with quick waves raging from different directions. They weren''t huge, but they were definitely fast; I had flown above the sea a couple of times.


    Since I had been alone, I was enjoying myself. Whenever I spotted an incoming wave, I would hold onto the sail, bend the water to boost my boat, and glide above the wave, flying.


    What? A man can work and have fun at the same time.


    But that didn''t make me forget about the firebender I was chasing.


    ''He''s not a waterbender, so he couldn''t have dealt with this kind of weather. At the same time, the sea is vast. He may be in a different spot depending on the angle he used to travel,'' I thought. ''At any rate, I had to leave the South Pole whether that soldier had escaped or not. There are a lot of experience points to gain and many monsters to fight. But that''s not entirely to my advantage, even with the chances to gain experience. When you think about it, waterbenders are very powerful in their environment.''


    ''But on land, where water is limited, I wouldn''t pose as much of a threat as I do here.''


    Unfortunately, I had a solution for a problem like that. I looked down between my legs.


    ''The last resort. Imagine killing someone with a piss-spear.''


    I was only a few hours at sea, and I was already having funny ideas.


    I knew that I had a storage to hold a water barrel or two. But what if I didn''t?


    Shaking my head, I decided to focus on what was in front of me.


    The more I advanced, the warmer the weather became. I could finally see the daylight¡ªthe sun, shining brightly.


    My body felt so hot that I was forced to remove my coat and travel with my upper body exposed.


    After a bit of time, I reached a small, isolated island. I decided to take a break, as it was approaching night. I wasn''t familiar with the stars in this world, so I wouldn''t be able to navigate to the Earth Kingdom at night. But during the day, depending on the position of the sun, I''d be fine as long as I headed north. I rested for the night.


    ''Now that I think about it, how would a soldier without a navigator survive alone on the ocean?'' It may sound like an absurd idea. ''But if you think about it, immigrants have performed more impressive feats on more violent seas.''


    -x-X-x-


    "At last," I said to myself as I spotted land.


    I hadn''t found the firebender, but that wasn''t important. There was a high chance that he had died. In case that hadn''t happened, I knew what I would have to do.


    ''But still, it would bother me that he escaped and may have survived somewhere.'' S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I made it onto land. It had taken me a couple of days to reach here, thanks to the winds and waterbending. I could relax a bit before starting to stir up trouble.


    Raindrops fell from the cloudy sky.


    A rich aroma that I hadn''t smelled in 17 years hit my nose.


    ''The nostalgia,'' I thought to myself, looking at the boat, putting my hand on it, and trying to move it to storage.


    [Storage doesn''t contain enough space. Upgrade the storage or remove a few items.] came the system''s notification.


    I wondered whether I should leave the boat here or not. It clearly belonged to the Southern Water Tribe, whose members were known to have joined the rebellion against the Fire Nation. Even without the Fire Nation knowing what I did in the South Pole, they could easily find me here.


    ''Wait. If they find the boat, it would serve my agenda,'' I thought. ''That way, they''ll link it to the sole waterbender who killed their soldiers if they ever find out.''


    Just to avoid looking suspicious, I changed into casual clothes that I had found on the Fire Nation ship. I was now wearing wide black clothes made of silk. I tied my hair in a ponytail and put a bandanna around my forehead.


    I then walked down the road of life.


    After a few hours of walking, I started missing gliding on the ice.


    There wasn''t much water around.


    But I still had weapons in my storage, so that was fine.


    Before I could think about gaining experience or causing trouble, I needed to think about where I would sleep.


    I noticed that I was beside a road made for carriages. Deciding to take a break, I sat beside it and waited for any carriages to appear. I needed to ask about the locations. Acquiring a map would be very helpful.


    ''At times like this, you realize how helpful a flying bison would be,'' I thought to myself.


    A sound echoed, and I turned my head.


    A middle-aged man, green-eyed and wearing green clothes, was huffing as he dragged a cabbage cart.


    He stopped dragging and stood in front of me.


    The man was pulling a portable stall with his own strength.


    I could tell what he was thinking the moment he looked at me.


    ''Fuck my life,'' I thought. ''Where are the strength stats when you need them?''


    "Young man¡ª" he said.


    "Sure, why not." I interjected as I stood up.


    "I didn''t tell you what I wanted?" he asked.


    Since he had green eyes, a trait typical of the Earth Kingdom, it was obvious that he wouldn''t be asking me for directions.


    "You want help dragging that," I replied.


    "It''s good to see young, good men like you. But don''t you have a place to be?" he asked, smiling.


    "I''m just a wanderer," I said, deciding to be honest. "I don''t know my way around, so I don''t have a place to be."


    "To your luck, I''m going to a place where you can stay for cheap. If you help me, I''ll guide you to a nearby place where you can rest," he said. "Though, I advise you not to cause any trouble. That place is governed by the Fire Nation."


    "Sure thing," I replied. The money wasn''t a problem for me, as I had looted the Fire Soldiers and their ship. But I needed a place to spend that money.

 Chapter 15 - 15

    "How near is that ''near place''?" I asked the cabbage seller.


    "We''ll arrive soon," he said.


    For the last few hours, he had been saying the same thing whenever I asked him this question.


    It''s no wonder the Avatar had a beef with him. This man was pure evil.


    Also, what kind of man is he, to get into places where the Avatar would reach by flying bison while still dragging a cart?


    "Cai," I called. "By your definition, what is near, and what is far?"


    *Bump*


    "Shit," Cai cursed. As we had been talking, there was a hole we hadn''t paid attention to. It was around 40 cm deep. The stall fell in.


    "Forget I said anything," I said.


    "Let''s try pulling it out," Cai said, pulling with all his strength. But it was to no avail.


    I tried to help him too, but we couldn''t do it.


    "Seems we have to empty it, and then reload it," he said.


    I turned to the cart and shook my head.


    That was a lot of work, unpaid work.


    "Forget it. I''m tired already," I grumbled as I sat down on a nearby rock.


    "Young men nowadays are lazy," he grimaced. "Ryuk, we haven''t been walking for that long."


    I pointed at the sky. The sun was about to set.


    "Not long, my ass. When I met you, the sun was there," I pointed at the middle of the sky. "And now it''s about to set."


    I didn''t know what this old man''s definition of laziness or hard work was. I didn''t know what the word ''near'' meant to him, but I knew that I was tired.


    "There''s no use in grumbling. Let''s empty it, push it up, and then reload it," he said. "You won''t even feel the time passing."


    "Excuse me," said a voice. "You guys sound like you''re in big trouble."


    We turned our heads to see a young, handsome man in his late teens or early twenties. Long hair, tanned skin, and green eyes. A native Earth Nation citizen.


    "Great," Cai clapped his hands. "Why don''t you help us, young man?"


    I turned my head toward the cabbage guy. ''Does he impose on people directly? No introduction, no courtesy. Just ''help me.''? I guess the only thing this guy cares about is the cabbage.''


    The young man smiled and replied, "Looks heavy, though."


    "You won''t feel the flow of time," Cai said. "Besides, if you don''t help me, I won''t be able to feed my poor family."


    ''Poor my ass. Your stall has been wrecked by the Avatar multiple times across the nations, and you still manage to sell fresh cabbage every time. Forget it. I wonder how he''s faster than a flying bison,'' I thought to myself, but I didn''t say those words.


    The young man seemed to believe his story. A sympathetic expression took over his face as he said, "In that case, I can''t let your family starve. But you have to promise to keep whatever you see here a secret. Swear on your poor family."


    Cai rolled his eyes. "I swear on my family, if you help me, I will tell no one about it."


    "Very well," the young man said, raising his hand toward the hole and squeezing as if he were holding a lemon in his hand, slowly raising his arm. The wheel was lifted and the hole was closed in an instant.


    "You''re an earthbender?" Cai said.


    The young man put his index finger to his lips. "Remember, you promised."


    "I know," Cai said. He turned to me. "Earthbenders are taken to jail to be held."


    "I promise I won''t tell them. Happy?" I sighed. I was soon to be an archenemy of the Fire Nation anyway¡ªwell, not the Fire Nation as a whole, but the Fire Lord and his followers. I had no grudge against their civilians or soldiers, just the invaders and the supporters of the massacres.


    "Just one more thing," I turned to the young earthbender. "How near is the nearest village?"


    "It''s pretty near. If you walk for an hour, you''ll make it there."


    "Just an hour," I replied after him.


    In my previous life, just an hour meant ''hail a taxi.''


    "Two hours, dragging that," he said. "But if you want help, we can make it faster."


    "What a young gentleman you are. Your peers should learn from you," said Cai. It was needless to say that he was talking about me.


    ''He''s just an old man,'' I shook my head. ''I''ve always wondered why this world was full of assholes. I guess there''s a good reason for that. Being nice isn''t helpful.''


    "Thanks," smiled the young earthbender. "What''s your name, by the way?"


    "Cai."


    "Ryuk."


    "I''m Haru, by the way."


    The three of us dragged the stall then.


    Not long after, as the sun was setting and the sky turned red, we arrived at the entrance of one of the villages of the Earth Nation.


    At the gate, there were two soldiers dressed in familiar armor.


    Two Fire Nation soldiers with long mustaches and sabers around their waists stopped us. They let Haru in as soon as he showed his identity plaque. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The cabbage guy was allowed in since he had a reason for his visit.


    When it was my turn, the fire soldier said, "Your identity?"


    "Left it at home," I said. "It''s very far from here."


    "Turn back then," he said.


    "What if I have a very good reason to come here?" I replied, thinking that Cai didn''t have to show an identity plaque. It may be obvious that he''s a merchant, or maybe he''s just that famous in this world.


    "And what might that be?" the fire soldier asked.


    "Spend money to rest for a few days, and then I''ll leave," I replied, taking his hand and placing two silver coins in it.


    "Very good reason indeed," he said.


    "I''m not convinced, though," the other fire soldier interrupted, extending his hand toward me.


    "Isn''t it though?" I replied, placing two silver coins reluctantly into his hand.


    ''Lesson learned. Next time I want to bribe someone, I''ll divide the intended money according to the number of guards and put it into their hands.'' I thought.


    "How long are you willing to stay?" he asked.


    "Two weeks at most. One week at least," I replied, not being entirely honest. I might stay less, I might stay more.


    "Wait a moment, I''ll write you an entrance permit," he said. "What''s your name?"


    "My name is..." I began, thinking of names for earthbenders, so I wouldn''t get exposed as coming from another nation.


    Definitely, my name wouldn''t be Jeff.


    But I had already exposed my name to Cai and Haru, so I needed to come up with a different name, yet keep my real name as a nickname to avoid suspicion.


    "My name is Bumi," I said. "But my friends call me Ryuk."


    "Alright," the fire soldier said, going inside to write a permit for me. When I held it, it was a wooden plaque.


    [Permit: Bumi, AKA: Ryuk.


    Duration: 2 weeks.


    Starting Date: ]


    As I was about to enter, I saw a carriage being pulled by many monster beasts coming our way.


    From the carriage, a group of soldiers, lifting one injured soldier, entered.


    I resisted the urge to widen my eyes. The injured person, his face, somehow looked familiar. It was the survivor.


    "Sir, one of our soldiers survived the South Pole. He has to make a report, but he lost consciousness. We need to treat him immediately," said one of the soldiers to the gate guard.


    "Get him in!" the gate guard yelled. "Call the doctor!"

 Chapter 16 - 16

    The Fire Nation soldiers took the injured, unconscious firebender inside, ignoring me.


    I followed them into the village. Although my face appeared calm, my heart thundered in my ears.


    ''Isn''t this happening way too fast? I haven''t even recovered from dragging that ridiculous cabbage cart with Cai.'' I thought. ''But at least I got three cabbages for free. They''d make a good salad or could be cooked with eggs and cheese.''


    ''What am I even thinking about? Focus, Ryuk. You should be thinking about the firebender, not food.'' I shook my head. ''Whenever I''m nervous, I think about food. At this rate, I''ll develop an eating disorder. But if I keep thinking like this, I''ll end up dead.''


    I was too distressed to think rationally. My plan had been to kill the firebender before he could give a report. But since he was here and injured, it might buy me some time. Still, being in the heart of enemy territory without experience made the situation feel suffocating.


    ''It''s not the worst outcome, though. At least he''s injured, so it''ll take time for him to recover and describe the waterbender''s face. The moment he wakes up and gives his report, I''ll know, since I''m here. I just need to stop them before they reach the South Pole. That''ll buy time for Katara and Sokka until the Avatar shows up.''


    ''Man, if that bald kid doesn''t wake up soon, I might have to become the strongest creature in this world just to survive.''


    I scoffed at myself. Becoming the strongest was absurd¡ªI didn''t have that kind of physical strength. Still, chi-bending could help me overcome those limitations in the long run.


    "What are you doing here?"


    I turned to see Haru standing nearby, watching me from the entrance of a building.


    "I''m just taking a break," I replied.


    "Are you planning to sleep outside?" he asked. "It gets pretty cold at night."


    ''Pretty cold? It feels hot.'' I thought. ''I guess my pretty cold to him is the same as freezing to death.''


    "Don''t worry. I''m used to colder weather," I said.


    "Where are you originally from?" he asked. "One of the islands between the continent and the poles?"


    "You could say that. I''m from the South," I replied.


    "Is it interesting there?" Haru asked.


    "If you think eating dried fish every day is interesting, be my guest." I shrugged. ''And there''s literally only one girl there,'' I added mentally.


    As for Sokka? Poor guy. The only girl around was his sister. Leaving was a necessity.


    "At least it''s peaceful. The Fire Nation soldiers didn''t try to occupy your home," Haru sighed. "That''s something to envy."


    I let out a mocking snort. "Peaceful my ass. Whenever a waterbender appears, they come, kill them, and then leave. Most of the adults went to your continent to join the rebellion."


    "Killing them? That''s harsh." Haru looked down. "I guess I should be grateful my father is alive, even though I haven''t seen him in years."


    Sensing the conversation was taking a depressing turn, I decided to shift gears.


    "Forget it." I patted his shoulder. "How are you doing? Taking good care of your family?"


    "My mom is sick, and I''m working at the shop," Haru replied. "But the taxes are so high, it''s hard to make a living."


    "I know what you mean," I said. "Anyway, is there a place I can stay? Can I rent a room?"


    "Sure. Do you have any baggage?" he asked.


    "Do I look like I have baggage?" I deadpanned. "We literally dragged a cart together."


    "I thought you might have forgotten your stuff inside the carriage," he chuckled.


    "Do I look like an idiot?" I rolled my eyes.


    "No, but you look like someone who could easily get scammed," he said. "Besides, you seem frustrated."


    "That man literally wasted half a day guiding me to a ''near'' place."


    "Half a day? That''s a lot."


    "Finally, someone with common sense," I muttered.


    "You seem exhausted. Rest for the night, and we''ll talk about the rent tomorrow."


    "How much is it per week?"


    "Two silver coins. Sorry, I can''t give you a discount because of the taxes," he said apologetically.


    "That''s fine," I nodded. The price wasn''t an issue¡ªI wasn''t planning to pay with my own money anyway.


    Haru guided me to a two-story building with a small shop in front. He led me to a back room with a bed, a table, and a window. It was a far cry from the comforts of my previous life.


    ''Guess I''ll have to shower outside,'' I thought. ''Well, I can always bathe with waterbending.''


    "Anyway, I''ll leave you to rest," Haru said.


    "Wait, Haru." I stopped him. "You''re a local, so you probably know the area well, right?"


    "Yeah, sure. What do you want to know?" he asked.


    "I was wondering about the dangerous places around here. I''ve heard there are bizarre monsters everywhere in this continent. I want to know which areas to avoid." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That wasn''t entirely true. I wasn''t looking for places to avoid¡ªI was looking for a good place to grind my skills and get stronger before my identity was exposed.


    "That''s actually a smart question," Haru said, tapping his chin in thought. "I don''t know much, but about four hours northeast, there''s a forest with massive trees. The monsters there are enormous, and some are so dangerous they require teams of benders to deal with them."


    "Four hours?" I grimaced. That was a lot of time. And coming back would take another four hours, making it an eight-hour trip. I sighed heavily. It seemed like I''d have to exhaust myself physically before I could even start training. ''Nothing comes easy, huh? I''ll just have to work harder.''


    "At least you''ll have plenty of time to think while walking," Haru said with a grin. "But don''t stress yourself over it tonight. Get some rest."


    With that, I made up my mind. I''d head to the forest first thing in the morning to start hunting beasts.

 Chapter 17 - 17

    Apparently, I couldn''t sleep much last night despite being exhausted from dragging a cart all day. I guess part of the blame lies with the unconscious firebender who had arrived in the village.


    The firebender was currently inside a large metallic base, which housed the prison for earthbenders. The entire prison was made of metal and resembled a castle. The interior was complicated, and killing the firebender would be foolish now. If I killed him, they would link it to me. The worst case wouldn''t be linking it to me, but sending them to the South Pole. Really, what would anyone think if a survivor from the South Pole was killed? They would definitely go to the South Pole to investigate.


    My agenda was to cause havoc here anyway.


    And since the firebender was in a dire physical state, he would likely remain unconscious for a few days, maybe weeks. I wasn''t sure.


    ''When I saw him, his fingers and limbs had turned purple. They''re going to sever his limbs,'' I thought. ''I feel like a bad person. I could have relieved his pain a long time ago. Poor guy. In that case, I''ll use his existence as motivation to gain as much power as possible.''


    I thought as I walked in the direction of the forest that Haru had advised me not to enter.


    A drop of water circled my finger, moving quickly, creating sharp pressure that made a cut, causing blood to drip from it. I tried to control the blood, and I could, but the system didn''t signal the discovery of Blood Bending.


    It seemed my waterbending skill was too low to achieve bloodbending, or the training method I was using to unlock it wasn''t correct.


    "Tsk." I clicked my tongue. The small amount of water that had cut my finger calmed down and glowed faintly, healing the cut. "I hope the beasts here aren''t too difficult to deal with."


    After hours of walking, I stopped in front of a large forest. The trees were at least 5 to 15 meters tall.


    I looked at the ground and noticed there was no grass.


    ''The tree leaves are high, so the herbivorous monsters must be either large or have long necks. In that case, the predators would be huge as well,'' I thought to myself.


    Nature has a balanced system. Without carnivores, herbivores could breed uncontrollably until they eat everything, leaving nothing behind. Predators must be stronger than their prey. Since this forest seemed like a good place for large animals, I believed they would be worth a lot of experience.


    "Okay. Let''s have some fun," I muttered. I extended my hand to the left, and a long spear with a sword-like blade appeared in my hand. I turned around the forest and saw a few docile animals that resembled giant 7-meter-tall giraffes with wool-like fur. They were eating the leaves from the trees.


    They didn''t attack me on sight, so I ignored them.


    I continued exploring until I encountered another creature, which was growling. It was about 4 meters long, with a long neck that extended for a meter. It looked like a wolf.


    "Let me guess its name: Long-Neck Wolf. Smaller than the giraffes, but big enough to hunt them when in packs," I muttered to myself.


    The long-necked wolf turned to me. Its eyes lit up. It didn''t seem interested in devouring me, but I looked like a suitable toy. It approached while jumping in a zigzag pattern.


    But I wasn''t foolish enough to think it wanted to be friends with me.


    I had cats and dogs in my previous life. They do regard smaller species as toys¡ªI knew that for certain. Even a full-grown cat would play with a mouse to amuse itself before killing it.


    I thrust my spear forward.


    The wolf reacted quickly and jumped backward, getting only a shallow cut on its neck.


    [Hunting. ++exp]


    ''Shit,'' I quickly opened the system and muted the notifications. I didn''t need any unnecessary distractions.


    "Grrrr." The wolf-like creature growled and crouched, shifting from playful mode to vengeful mode.


    At times like this, I would miss the South Pole and its endless water supplies. It reminded me that if I had fought the firebenders on land like this, I would have been killed long ago.


    I waved my hand, and a bottle of water appeared. I squeezed the bottle, and the water inside shifted shape, turning into a long spear that split into three.


    The wolf seemed wary and circled around me, looking for an opening.


    ''Combining hunting with Chi bending and waterbending should do it,'' I thought to myself as the three spears floated around me. Controlling all three at once was mentally taxing, but this was nature. The moment I let my guard down, I would die.


    I threw one spear at the wolf, and it dodged by jumping. Assuming it would land slightly to the left, I aimed there. One of the spears pierced its neck but didn''t kill it, while the other struck its eye.


    The wolf dashed at me. It seemed to be telling me that if it fell, it would take me down with it.


    I waved my arms, defrosting the water and gathering it inside its system. I condensed all the water into a single chunk before freezing it.


    The wolf stopped and lurched backward before falling, hitting its long neck repeatedly. It tried to howl, but no sound emerged.


    "I''m sorry," I murmured as I retrieved my spear and sliced through its neck.


    I opened the system and checked the notifications.


    [Defeating Long-Necked Wolf.]


    [+1200 accumulated experience]


    [Hunting up to level 8]


    [Freeze up to level 6]


    [Waterbending +200 exp]


    [Chi Bending +200 exp]


    [Chi Bending up to level 6 (100/800)]


    [The power-ups from Chi Bending have improved by 5%]


    I stroked my chin, thinking that it wasn''t a bad gain: 1200 accumulated experience, plus the skills I used leveled up or gained experience.


    If I spent time here hunting seriously and carefully, I could make a lot of progress.


    But I couldn''t stay here forever.


    I needed to return to Haru''s village to find out when the firebender would wake up.


    Because if he woke up, I would cause havoc. The best way to do so would be to wait for them at the ocean and flip their ships upside down. Easy kills and free experience.


    "I''ll call it a day after a few hours," I muttered to myself.


    Just as I was about to leave, a chill ran down my spine.


    When I turned my head, I saw something that reminded me of an important piece of information: S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wolves travel in packs.


    Around 17 wolves stood before me. Most of them appeared larger than the wolf I had just killed.


    They all stared at me intensely. I could feel the killing intent in their gaze.

 Chapter 18 - 18

    "For real. What kind of rotten luck is this? Just when it seemed like things were finally going my way." I gripped the spear tightly as I took a step back.


    Two larger wolves approached the dead body and rubbed their heads against it.


    Great. Vengeful wolf parents.


    ''I can''t make a smart decision now. I''m just a few seconds away from death, and I can''t outrun them.'' I quickly opened the system.


    I poured all of my gained experience into Chi Bending.


    Had this been the South Pole or the ocean, I would have gone for waterbending. But since I was on land, I needed to use this.


    [Chi Bending up to Level 7 (400/1600)]


    [Can circulate Chi around the whole body now.]


    [All boosts from Chi increased by 5%.]


    I would have loved to calculate how much 5% from this level and 5% from the previous level had stacked up, but I wasn''t in the mental state to do math.


    All I did was channel my Qi around my body to increase my speed and power, and I summoned a barrel of water from storage.


    I turned quickly and began running, the water leaving the barrel and following me.


    The wolves ran after me, their speed greater than mine, despite my boost.


    The water surrounded my hands, turning into tentacles, which I used to help me climb quickly and pull myself up.


    ''Come on. Come on.'' I thought, sweat dripping from my forehead. Just an inch below me, a wolf opened its mouth wide, about to bite my backside. But I managed to escape at the last second.


    I continued climbing to the highest point in the tree and looked down. All the wolves were circling the base, staring up at me with fury in their eyes.


    Unconsciously, I patted my rear.


    "It''s safe," I breathed a sigh of relief. I moved the water from around my hands to my shoulder and deactivated the Chi boost to conserve my energy.


    I looked down again.


    The wolves surrounded the tree, occasionally jumping and growling, glaring at me.


    "Sho. Sho." I shooed them away.


    But they didn''t seem to want to leave.


    "What am I supposed to do now? Dance like a pole dancer while hanging at the top of the tree?" I muttered to myself. ''I hate waterbending. Why couldn''t I have been born as an airbender or an earthbender?''


    ''Okay. There are twelve of them. They''re not very intelligent, and I am. I can use this to my advantage.''


    ''Let''s see. I have one water barrel in my storage. Now that they''re all gathered around me in one spot, a wide-area attack might work. But I don''t know any. I''ll just freeze one of them and use the remaining experience points to level up Freeze to make it deadlier.''


    I started weaving my arms slowly and pushed. The water poured down.


    One thing I liked about water was how easy it was to manipulate.


    The water fell on one of the wolves. It tried to escape, but I made the water surround its neck. Then, I froze it. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Killing a long-necked wolf]


    [+1200 XP]


    [Freeze +200 XP]


    [Waterbending +100 XP]


    "Meh." I broke the ice, and with it, the neck of the wolf. I tried to turn it into water and pull it back, but the distance was too far, and I only managed to pull about 25% of it back to the surface.


    The wolves didn''t seem to be scared after seeing two of their pack die.


    Well, it''s instinct.


    If animals that hunt in packs could retreat every time one or two of them fell, they wouldn''t have survived natural selection.


    I opened my system and poured all the gained experience into Freeze.


    You know, the higher the Freeze level, the colder the ice I could create.


    The colder the ice, the less water I would need to make them suffer.


    Extreme coldness can burn just like fire and hurt just as much.


    [Freeze up to Level 7]


    I circled my hand, and water appeared, creating a surface of water that fell as soon as I put my hands down.


    ''My aim is the head and neck.''


    The water fell on a couple of the wolves while the rest of the pack backed away. The two didn''t get surrounded by a large amount of water, but they were drenched enough.


    Layers of frost surrounded their faces and necks.


    They lurched and howled, hitting their heads against the rocks, trying to break the ice.


    ''They look more like white-faced wolves now.'' I waved my finger, concentrating on the freezing process.


    Unfortunately, they didn''t die immediately, and I had to wait for half an hour for the freezing to take effect. Maybe it was the necessary time for their brains to freeze? Or maybe I didn''t use enough water.


    [Killing 2 long-necked wolves]


    [+2400 XP]


    [Freeze +200 XP (200/8000)]


    [Waterbending +400 XP]


    "Okay, this is progress," I muttered. At the same time, I didn''t like how things were going. I had come here to level up Chi Bending and Waterbending. While I was gaining experience at a good rate, my skills weren''t leveling up as quickly as I''d hoped. However, my Freeze skill was leveling up fast.


    ''Think about it from a different perspective. I''m gaining more tools to use. With less water, the ability to create extreme cold ice could be the key to survival.'' I thought. ''This skill has already saved me from the firebenders and trapped them.''


    I summoned my second water barrel.


    I poured half the water out of it. I planned to use the rest to escape, as I had an idea of how to do so. As for the remaining half, I would use it to finish off the wolves.


    I poured a small amount of water on them, and they immediately dodged. They seemed to have learned the pattern.


    "I expected you to do that," I smirked. The water they dodged surrounded their feet, getting them wet. A layer of frost began to form, hindering their movements. I then finished them off by pouring more water on them before freezing it. I sat back and waited for them to die. I bent the unused water back into the barrel and stored it away.


    The remaining pack members escaped, realizing they would only die if they waited for me to come down.


    "It''s okay. I''m not getting down until I hear the notification," I muttered as I put my hands behind my neck.


    [Killing x4 Long-Necked Wolves]


    [+4800 accumulated XP]


    [Freeze +500 XP]


    [Waterbending +200 XP]


    [+ Title acquired: The Beasts Hunter]


    [Extra 40% experience when dealing with monsters]


    [Do you want to equip the title? (y/n)]


    I looked at the system. It seemed I could equip one title now. But I would need a massive 50,000 XP to equip another.


    [- Skill Trees:


    Waterbending - 8


    Chi Bending - 7


    Skills:


    Hunting - 8


    Fishing - 4


    Freeze - 7


    Titles: (1/1)


    The Beasts Hunter


    Accumulated XP: 7200]


    ''What''s this? The storage needs experience to expand, and the titles require experience too.''


    ''I just gained 7200 XP. It''s a decent amount. Maybe I''ll have enough if I farm the rest of the beasts and hunt the docile ones.''


    tststststs


    Another chill ran down my spine.


    ''Don''t tell me the wolves called their cousins.'' I thought as a massive tree was knocked down.


    A giant insect, 20 meters long¡ªbigger than the red-furred giraffes¡ªwas crawling toward me. It had many long, sharp spiky legs and looked like a centipede with blue-black patterns.


    I have a confession.


    I have a phobia of poisonous creatures and giant animals. Now combine them.


    It walked over one of the dead wolves, and as it passed, the bodies vanished. It continued its way and didn''t stop in front of my tree. Instead, it started crawling upward.


    I split the water and shot a small water jet at its head, freezing it. But it didn''t stop and continued moving.


    ''The freezing didn''t do anything. This thing is huge.'' I stood up. There was only one thing I could do.

 Chapter 19 - 19

    I was so terrified of the big black centipede. The octopus-like tentacles surrounded my hand, and I jumped off the tree. The water extended to another tree and wrapped around it, pulling me and allowing me to swing to another tree. I gave a side glance in mid-air.


    The giant insect crushed the tree and continued after me.


    Looking at its speed, I couldn''t outrun it. Hiding deep in the ground wouldn''t work. Even if I ran to the river, it would still be a tough opponent and would be able to catch up to me.


    In this case, I could only think of one solution: shift its attention to something else before it could catch up to me.


    And I did.


    Those poor giant giraffes that were eating peacefully found me swinging and slipping between their legs. They looked at me confused, but they soon met up with the insect. Upon crashing into them, the insect got angry at the giraffes. The centipede surrounded its body and crushed them before beginning to eat.


    I didn''t stay to watch the show.


    I then swung away.


    -x-X-x-


    I broke two eggs over the steamed cabbage, added some oil, and mixed the ingredients in the pan.


    ''Forget being an enemy of the Fire Nation; there are more scary things in life,'' I thought to myself.


    In my whole life, I never knew that you could actually exert your muscles beyond failure. I had sprinted¡ªnot just run¡ªbut sprinted out of the forest as soon as I had a chance, and I managed to make it back to the village in an hour and a half. Chi bending had helped me a lot to reduce the time it took to escape.


    And just to make sure the bizarre insect didn''t have the chance to catch up to me thanks to some weirdly powerful sense of smell, I took a quick shower and changed my clothes midway.


    ''I''m seriously going to be traumatized at this rate.'' I took the pan off the fire and sat down to eat with chopsticks.


    I was in the open air, enjoying the food I had made, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t get the food into my mouth as my hand kept shaking.


    You may think I''m a coward, and you might be right. But in my defense, that centipede was 20 meters long.


    Had this been my previous life, if I''d faced a 50 cm long one, the first thing I would''ve done would be calling a therapist after managing to escape.


    "You look quite distressed. Try drinking this." Haru came and stood next to me, handing me a small bottle of cow''s milk. "Where have you been?"


    "I''ve been¡­" I decided to lie. "Doing workouts. To build strength, you know."


    "That''s why you''re cooking cabbage?" He nodded.


    I gave him a side glance. There''s no way one would build muscles by eating cabbages. Sure, the eggs and other added ingredients help increase the total protein consumed for the day, but if one wanted to build muscles, going for the South Pole or North Pole diet would be the aim. I was quite muscular myself.


    "Who told you that?" I asked him.


    "Cai," replied Haru. "He said hard work and cabbage are the way." He picked up chopsticks and joined me.


    "And you believed him?" I asked.


    "Yes. I mean, look at you," he replied. "I bought around four of them. He also said they''ll help my mom recover her health."


    Suddenly, the cabbage tasted less appealing.


    ''Seriously. Lying to sell your cabbage, I can understand that. But using the fact that someone''s mom is ill to sell them stuff? That''s really low.'' I stopped eating. ''Why are these retail merchants full of lies? Well, I guess his beef with the Avatar was just a matter of karma.''


    I asked, "Did a doctor visit her?"


    "Doctor? You mean a physician," he said.


    That was the name of the doctor in this world, I guess.


    "Yes," I nodded.


    "He prescribed a set of medicine, but because of the high taxes imposed on us by the Fire Nation, we couldn''t afford it," he said. "I''m trying to hold on with medical herbs."


    "That''s rough, buddy," I said. "Sorry to hear that."


    "It''s okay. With your rent and some side work, I''ll be able to afford it soon," he said. "Just don''t move to another motel."


    "Good luck with that," I said.


    -x-X-x-


    Early at dawn, I had finished emptying my storage of clothes and food and locked it in my room. I had filled about four water barrels and placed them along with a few weapons.


    ''I guess I''m ready to go now,'' I thought.


    [Waterbending +100 exp]


    [Waterbending +100 exp]


    [Waterbending +100 exp]


    I was standing on one bed, water surrounding my hand as it moved right and left over the forehead of an old, white-haired woman. Next to me, Haru was sleeping, his head on the bed.


    Healing was a skill I had acquired after my waterbending had reached the 8th level.


    If I recall correctly, the way my waterbending started leveling up was by doing simple tricks. After a few levels, those simple tricks wouldn''t provide much experience, and I would have to do more complicated things.


    ''Healing the ill is the way from now on. Or complicated combat,'' I thought to myself.


    Looking at Haru''s mom, I didn''t think I was healing her. All I did was relieve her symptoms. She would need rest, medicine, and plenty of food.


    Maybe when my waterbending leveled up, I would be able to perform higher-level healing.


    After I was done, I headed to the forest.


    I knew that it was quite a suicidal decision to return there after facing that large monster.


    But since I had managed to escape, I thought I might be able to do it again.


    I knew the way to escape, and I was willing to put everything I had into getting stronger.


    I knew what triggered that insect. It was the smell of the dead corpse that made it come. So, after hunting, I would have to move on quickly.


    And this time, I was better prepared than last time. I had more water in my storage.


    -x-X-x-


    I stood in front of the large forest, Chi boosting my body as I moved around. I encountered different species apart from the long-necked wolves¡ªa relatively smaller but bulkier, cat-like predator.


    I engaged in a fight with one of them, and they were much quicker than the wolves. I couldn''t escape or outrun it, even with Chi boosting. In fact, I had to use an entire barrel of water to win. First, I used the water to create a defensive layer. When the animal tried to break through, I froze it and decapitated it.


    [Killing Large Leopard.]


    [+4200 accumulated experience]


    [Waterbending +500 exp]


    [Freeze +200 exp]


    The leopard originally gave 3000 experience points, but thanks to my title, I earned 4200 accumulated experience.


    That was a massive gain for today, and I decided to call it a day before some predator smelled the blood.


    I decided to move on to a different hunting spot.


    And so, I did.


    I continued moving carefully for a couple of hours. By "carefully," I mean hanging from one tree to another, keeping an eye out for any dangerous centipedes.


    Eventually, I managed to make it back alive. I''d slaughtered a few wolves, but I didn''t encounter more cat-like predators. One thing I noticed was that the stronger the animals I hunted, the more experience they provided.


    I was quite curious about that insect¡ªthe one freezing didn''t affect. I wondered how much experience it could provide me.


    [Freeze leveled up to 8]


    [Waterbending - Level 8 (7000/16000)]


    [- Skill Trees -]


    Waterbending: Level 8


    Chi Bending: Level 7


    [- Skills -] S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hunting: Level 8


    Fishing: Level 4


    Freeze: Level 8


    [Titles: (1/1) The Beasts Hunter]


    [Accumulated experience: 18200]


    Not a bad gain for a peaceful hunting day. I could level up my waterbending or any other skill I desired.


    Since my ultimate goal was to obtain the power to blood bend, I decided to level up waterbending. I couldn''t believe I''d managed to gather the required 16,000 experience points¡ª7000 through hard work and 9000 through sheer effort.


    "Seriously. Getting from level eight to nine requires more work than getting from one to eight. The growth rate must be exponential¡ªor else I''ll demand to return to my previous life," I muttered as I opened the system.


    [Waterbending leveled up to 9 (0/30000)]


    [All skills under the skill tree upgraded.]


    A surge of information invaded my brain. New movements and techniques appeared before my eyes.


    I quickly summoned a barrel and drew water from it.


    I extended my arms to the side, and two water tentacles formed, coiling around my shoulders.


    I noticed I could now move the tentacles independently with just slight muscle twitches.


    I turned to a nearby tree and waved one of the tentacles like a whip. From its end, pellets of water flew out, transforming into shards of ice that pierced through the bark.


    ''Okay. Harder to level up, but definitely rewarding.''


    I experimented more with my waterbending. My ability to shape and manipulate water had greatly improved. I could now transform the tentacle ends into sharp ice blades, much sharper than at the previous level.


    Satisfied with my progress, I headed back to the village.


    I thought to myself that if the firebender didn''t wake up today, I''d have more time to grow stronger tomorrow.


    On the way, I ran into Cai. I shot him a glare, unable to hide my growing annoyance with him.


    His eyes widened as he approached me, saying, "Where have you been? I''ve been looking for you all day."


    "Why?" I asked coldly.


    "You know the kind guy who helped us drag the cart?" he asked.


    "Yes," I replied. "The one you scammed by saying cabbage heals the sick."


    "I didn''t scam him," Cai retorted. "His mom could walk out of the house! He''s been telling everyone it''s thanks to the cabbage, and my sales have increased."


    I felt my lips twitch in frustration, veins pulsing on my forehead.


    Did he seriously start believing his own lies?


    ''Okay. Forget about the Avatar. I''m going to wreck your carriage myself,'' I thought.


    "Anyway, poor Haru," Cai continued sympathetically. "He saved an elder from the village, but the elder snitched on him for pocket money. Now Haru is being taken to jail. And because he didn''t turn himself in earlier, they plan to execute him this weekend to make an example out of those who hide their power."

 Chapter 20 - 20

    "Haru got arrested and is going to be executed?" I repeated after Cai. I was exhausted from the eight-hour trip on foot, followed by hunting beasts. I wanted to confirm what I had heard, because I had left Haru lying on a bed next to his mother that very morning.


    "You heard me," Cai replied. "There was an elder named Sizu¡ªshort, bald, and with a bad leg. He got trapped in an abandoned mine while looking for silver to sell. Haru, who had been out touring, couldn''t help but assist when the mine started to crumble. He used his earthbending powers to rescue him. The poor guy. I told him that kindness would be his downfall. Now, he''s been snitched on by the person he saved."


    "The hell how did this happen?!" I snarled. I didn''t even know why I was so angry. I didn''t know the man that well, yet I felt so bad because I knew he was just a friendly young man from the neighborhood. "And I thought helping you was the worst thing one could do."


    "Hey, I have feelings," Cai retorted.


    For now, Cai wasn''t important. Not only had Haru been caught, but he was going to be executed as an example, which I had never seen happen in the canon.


    Other earthbenders had been taken to a metal jail, but the one who hid himself was going to be beheaded.


    "You said they''re going to execute him," I said, gripping Cai by the shoulders. "When?"


    Why was I acting like this?


    It wasn''t as though there was anything I could do to stop it if it was going to happen soon, but I knew it would be painful if it did. Part of me still hoped the execution would be scheduled far in the future, so I could hold onto the hope that I might still be able to do something about it.


    I hated being weak. I hated the feeling of talking to someone one day and knowing they were going to be dead the next. Life didn''t move that fast.


    Cai sighed and patted my shoulder. "Must be the first time you''ve seen something like this¡ªsomeone, or their family, being punished, right? I get how you''re feeling. Relax. It''s not like you can do anything about it."


    "Answer me," I said, shaking his shoulder.


    "A week from now," he grimaced. "To be exact, 6 days. On Friday."


    "Thank you." I let go of his shoulders and walked away, not feeling any guilt for possibly hurting Cai by squeezing him too hard.


    I headed to Haru''s house, to the room I was renting. I needed a place to think calmly.


    ''If someone who has been playing them for so long is going to get executed, what will happen to me?'' I thought. ''My biological parents are participating in the rebellion, so nothing will happen to them. But on the other hand, this shows just how cruel those soldiers are.''


    I sat by the bed and cupped my head with both hands.


    ''Shit. The South Pole isn''t far from this base. What can I do?'' I thought.


    On one hand, I didn''t have a deep attachment to Haru. We had known each other for only a few days, and he had been quite helpful. On the other hand, I didn''t want to feel powerless. I also thought that seeing someone I had a good impression of die in front of me was a horrible feeling. I didn''t know if that was true, and I didn''t want to know.


    The sensation of powerlessness was more bitter than anything I could have ever felt. What if he were someone I had known well or had a deep connection with? Was I just going to sit idly by and do nothing?


    I didn''t know what I wanted to do, but I knew what I didn''t want to do.


    ''I don''t want to feel powerless.'' I thought, now that I was calm. ''Alright. 6 days.'' I looked out the window. ''6 days. If I can''t at least make a dent in the centipede, I won''t do a thing, and I won''t feel guilty about it. But if I don''t reach level 10 in waterbending, I''m gay.''


    I had just come up with the ultimate self-motivation a male ego could handle. It might sound ridiculous, but it was effective.


    I had already made up my mind. I would go camp in the forest, or at least nearby. Wasting 8 hours each day traveling in and out would be a total waste of time. On the other hand, I thought about the storage. Since this was the land, and I would need more storage (for ammo), I needed to upgrade my inventory. Plus, I would need food if I was staying out there for an extended period.


    [10,000 accumulated experience points have been used to upgrade the storage]


    The storage was upgraded from the size of a small room to a mid-sized apartment. I could now store up to 10 water barrels, along with plenty of room for food and other necessities.


    I packed my things into my storage, then took a walk.


    On the way, I gave my stats one last look.


    [- Skill Trees -]


    Waterbending: Level 9


    Chi Bending: Level 7


    [- Skills -]


    Hunting: Level 8


    Fishing: Level 4


    Freeze: Level 8


    [Titles: (1/1): The Beasts Hunter]


    [Accumulated experience: 8200]


    -x-X-x-


    Early in the morning, Cai stretched his arms as he walked toward his cart. He had just finished yawning and was ready for another day of work.


    The night had passed peacefully with nothing major happening.


    It was just another day to make a living.


    Suddenly, he stopped.


    There, in front of him, was his cart.


    But there was no cabbage in it.


    Inside, there was a letter.


    [Dear Cabbage Merchant,


    We have heard about the miraculous healing effects of your cabbage. Because of that, we''ve decided to take it to help the sick heal. We sincerely apologize for not having enough funds at the moment, but you''ll be paid in the form of good karma.


    National Medicine Association.]


    -x-X-x-


    I smiled widely as I took a bite of the cabbage. My lips were twitching. Every fifteen minutes, I would remember what I had done and burst into laughter. I wished I were still in the village to see Cai''s reaction.


    At least now he wouldn''t be messing with sick people''s families to sell his stuff.


    I stopped and stared ahead. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since it was dawn, most predators were heading back to their lairs, and only weaker animals stayed.


    "Good enough for me," I muttered. "This is going to be the longest grind of my life."

 Chapter 21 - 21

    At the forest that was filled with dangerous and large animals and insects. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first time I was here, I had to rely on praying, luck, and trees to survive. But this time, I was better prepared.


    I couldn''t afford to play it safe, as my self-esteem was on the line. I needed to grind to preserve my male pride.


    I entered the forest, not walking comfortably. My heart thundered in my ears, and I could practically feel water dripping from the sweat on my skin. There was a simple reason for my fear: that giant centipede. It was so intimidating that I feared seeing it in my nightmares.


    Around my shoulders were two tentacles, ready for any emergencies.


    Shaking my head, I spotted a stray wolf with an exceptionally long neck. It was much larger and more muscular than the cub I had killed that day.


    "Grrrr!!!!" it howled at me, taking a defensive stance.


    It seemed to be one of the survivors from the wolf pack I had attacked a few days ago. The only difference this time was that I wasn''t perched on top of a tree.


    Did you know some animals can hold a grudge for a long time? Take camels, for example. You could hit one today, and twenty years later, you might meet it again. It would remember you and turn into a John Wick out of nowhere. It would wait until you were alone or asleep, then kill you when no one was watching. Some animals were absurdly smart and could hold grudges¡ªthey were just that petty.


    "Come here, little puppy." I pointed at it, and a spear appeared in my hand.


    The wolf lunged at me, its long neck coming from an unexpected angle, trying to bite me.


    One tentacle pushed against the ground, shoving me backward, while the other morphed into a sharp ice spike that pierced through the wolf''s eye. As I landed on my feet, I sent another tentacle with a wave of my arm, turning it into a sharp spear that pierced through the wolf''s neck.


    [Long-Necked Wolf has been defeated]


    [Waterbending +200 exp]


    [+1680 accumulated experience]


    I caught my breath, calming down.


    Compared to last time, I had improved a lot. The previous time, I had to rely on a high-level freezing skill to deal with it, and I had nearly lost to a young wolf. Now, I could face a beast on equal footing without using much water.


    ''Reminds me of Katara in the canon. She just used drinking water. Man.'' I thought to myself. ''That''s totally unfair. If I could, I''d learn to use water from my surroundings.''


    ''But the thing about waterbending is that the purer the water, the easier it is to bend. If you add some mud, it becomes moderately difficult. If it''s mixed with other substances, forget it. It would be more like metalbending. If it were easy to bend anything with water in it, freezing humans would be done with a flick, and waterbenders would have been the ones to conquer the world by now.''


    I rubbed the back of my head and poured a thin layer of water around the dead wolf''s body, then froze it.


    You might wonder why I froze it. Last time, there were many dead animals on the ground, and it attracted a large insect.


    I didn''t know why, but I thought of dead animals in general. When they die, they''re usually surrounded by bugs and worms within 24 hours. So, freezing them was a security measure I came up with while walking on the road. You know, when you walk for 8 hours each day, you think about a lot of things.


    "Okay. Level 9 is definitely on a whole different level compared to level 8. I wonder what it''ll feel like when I hit level 10." I murmured. The answer was obvious: straight.


    A few more wolves approached after their kin let out their last howl.


    I looked at them and smiled. I wasn''t the same man who would cling to a tree and shoot from afar anymore.


    I quickly jumped to the nearest tree and climbed it with my tentacles.


    Just because I was stronger didn''t mean I wouldn''t do the smarter thing, which was to take the route with the lowest risk and highest reward.


    The wolves surrounded me and jumped high, trying to bite me. Those who jumped were met with rain pouring down on them, created by my tentacles, before I froze it onto them.


    Seriously, why would I use advanced, exhausting waterbending techniques to deal with small fries?


    [Killing Long-Necked Wolf...]


    [Killing Long-Necked Wolf...]


    [Killing Long-Necked Wolf...]


    [Killing Long-Necked Wolf...]


    [Waterbending +300 exp]


    [Waterbending +300 exp] ...


    [Freeze +++]


    I remembered why one should use advanced waterbending techniques¡ªit was to gain more raw experience in their skill.


    There was around 16,800 accumulated experience gained.


    I jumped off the tree, thinking about freezing the dead bodies by covering them in water.


    But then, an idea hit me.


    Sure, I may not be able to bend blood now, but shouldn''t I be able to bend it when it''s outside the body?


    I grabbed a knife from my storage and made a cut in the neck of a freshly dead wolf. A sensation of water weight tickled the back of my head. I moved my hand, and a bit of blood floated.


    ''Surely, the response time is slower compared to pure water, and it feels heavier. On the other hand, it''s possible to use it outside the body.'' I thought to myself. ''Maybe bloodbending is just heavy lifting with a little amount of water.''


    If I tried to lift a heavy human using a certain amount of water, I wouldn''t be able to do it because the weight matters.


    Bloodbending was the same as lifting a human-sized rock by making the water around it float, which is incredibly difficult to do. And if it were easy, waterbenders would have an advantage over every other bender. It''s just really heavy lifting.


    ''I get the key now. I need to do heavy weight training with waterbending or level up Chi Bending to unlock bloodbending.'' I thought to myself. ''In that case, I can think of two things. First, chi-bending. The higher the level, the more water I can bend, and the faster and stronger the water responds to my bending. Second, I can go the bodybuilder route¡ªlifting objects with water and increasing the weight while keeping the amount of water the same each time.''


    ''For now, let me try this.''


    I put my hand on the cut and tried to sense the water, using my visualization to freeze it.


    The body became stiff.


    [Discovering an advanced skill under the Tree Skill: Waterbending]


    [Waterbending +7000 exp]


    [Sub-Skill: Freezing Palm]


    [As long as there is a cut, you can freeze people by touching them.]


    [Waterbending level too low. May need extra time and direct physical contact to activate the skill.]


    I cupped my chin, thinking, ''Nice.''


    I moved to another body, put my hand on it, and tried to use the freezing skill without making a cut.


    To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. It took me 10 seconds to freeze it, and even then, I felt like I had wasted energy.


    [Waterbending +500 exp]


    [Freeze +100 exp]


    "Shit," I cursed, falling onto my butt. Using a higher-level skill, according to the system, required more energy.


    On the other hand, I realized something else. Although bloodbending was like intense weightlifting for now, freezing humans wasn''t impossible. In fact, with a few more levels, it could be done from a distance.


    Anyway, I was pretty tired. I turned my head and climbed the nearest tree for observation purposes. I looked toward the direction of the sun, and it was about to set. It would be time for the strongest species in the forest to appear.


    ''Wow. Time passes quickly,'' I thought.


    Now, I had a problem on my hands: Where the hell would I put my shelter?

 Chapter 22 - 22

    I couldn''t help but heave a sigh while sleeping peacefully inside my ice house. As a native of the South Pole and a waterbender, I could build these houses easily.


    They were cold on the outside and warm on the inside. One advantage was that they would be avoided by cold-blooded predators that lurked at night. The best advantage, however, was that it was made of ice, making it good for both defense and offense. I had a few triggered traps set up to make a noise in case something approached. Not to mention, I was half an hour away from the forest.


    This was the safest thing I could do for now.


    Other than that, today had been quite productive.


    Not only did I gain experience points and increase the experience bar for waterbending, but I had also learned something. If I could learn advanced skills, my level would jump higher, and I had been thinking of many strategies to deploy. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One of the strategies I had thought of was spreading water on the ground and turning it into ice, so I would have an advantage against firebenders. Most firebenders depend on their feet. If you make the ground slippery, they are as good as non-benders.


    Anyways, I had five days left until the execution, and I wasn''t even halfway to leveling up my waterbending.


    Day 2:


    Today, while hunting the wolves, I noticed something.


    The experience that I was getting decreased. All I managed to get from defeating a big wolf was only 1200 experience, despite having my title on.


    I guess getting stronger had its downsides as well.


    "It''s not like I can blame the system," I muttered to myself.


    One large mutt was running toward me at incredible speed.


    I tapped the wet ground with my foot. Ice spread from the point where I stepped, turning the ground into ice. The wolf lost its balance, tilted, and fell while rolling on the ground.


    I thrust my spear into its neck.


    [Hunting up to level 9]


    Hunting, despite not being a waterbending skill, was very practical. It helped increase the success rate and my accuracy. Combining it with waterbending could turn me into a sniper. Though, the further the distance, the lower the success rate.


    Anyways, I put my hand on the newly defeated animal and froze its body.


    The prey was getting scarcer, so I started thinking that I should start hunting docile animals.


    Excessive hunting was bad, though. It would make the predators go on a rampage and attack each other.


    But the thing that I didn''t have was time.


    I needed power urgently.


    On the positive side, I was developing ways to deal with enemies.


    Seeing that I had a few experience points left before leveling up my Chi Bending, I decided to invest in it.


    [Chi Bending up to level 8]


    [The ability to bend one self''s blood to boost power has been added.]


    [The skill is harmful and do self damage in exchange for greater power]


    I took a look at my skills.


    [-Skill Trees:


    Waterbending - 9 (10,000/30,000)


    Chi Bending - 8


    -Skills:


    Hunting - 9


    Fishing - 4


    Freeze - 8


    -Titles: (1/1)


    The Beast Hunter]


    Accumulated Experience: 73,000


    ''On second thought, no matter how strong I get, I''ll still be human. So, maybe I should try sneaking up on animals and see if I can unlock a Stealth Skill,'' I thought to myself before heading to my ice house, reinforcing it, and healing the cuts I had gotten from the spikes and some bad moments.


    Day 4:


    Nothing interesting happened on day three except that I got halfway to level 10 through my efforts alone. In total, I had accumulated around 150,000 experience points, ready to be used at any time.


    My Freeze skill had finally reached the ninth level, and I had gained a new skill through sneaking up behind animals.


    [+ Skill: Stealth (Passive) level 1]


    [Reduces the presence and sound produced by the user. Lowers the chance of being detected from a blind spot.]


    On the other hand, I was in the worst mental and physical state possible.


    There were dark bags under my eyes, my clothes had been torn, and I believe I had lost a couple of kilograms. What''s worse, I didn''t even remember the self-bet I made. Would it still be gay if I used the accumulated experience points? But I didn''t remember thinking about that.


    Such questions kept me awake in my ice house, doing exercises to increase my experience points.


    ''Even so, I would still have to face that centipede. There are 2 days left until the execution, so tomorrow will be the day I test myself against it. If I don''t do any damage despite the training, Haru, I''m sorry; you will be remembered. If I manage to do something to it, I will attack the Fire Nation Base,'' I thought to myself.


    I was currently next to my ice house. I had a stick of ice linking two frozen barbells, each weighing hundreds of kilograms, and I was curling them up.


    You may be wondering if I had become superhuman to lift such heavy weights.


    Well, in fact, I was using waterbending. And the goal wasn''t to lift the water but to lift the wooden container.


    [Waterbending +100 exp]


    [Waterbending +100 exp] ...


    Day 5:


    I was pretty confused as to whether this was the fifth day or the sixth day.


    My stupid ego had led me to grind all day long, and I didn''t notice when I fell asleep. When I woke up, it took me a while to figure out what time of day it was. It was before sunset.


    And luckily, the system had a notification log, which was well-timed, so I could easily tell that I hadn''t overslept into the sixth day.


    ''For some reason, I thought the sun was rising from the west,'' I thought.


    [Waterbending level 9 (29,000/30,000)]


    I was only one thousand experience points short from proving to myself that I was straight. I hurriedly did more curls with water and tried more complicated tasks, like eating with water tentacles. Thankfully, it took only half an hour to accumulate that much, and it didn''t drain too much energy.


    [Waterbending up to level 10 (0/60,000)]


    Since I was going to hunt a centipede and move at night, I figured I could use my newly acquired skills and level up some others. I had over 150,000 experience points, which would be enough to upgrade my waterbending by one more level. But after that, I would need 120,000, as the system would double the required amount, and I wouldn''t have enough by then¡ªonly around 90,000.


    90,000 experience points, however, were essential.


    My strongest weapon now was using the freezing skill, and I had adapted to its application over the last few days. It had reached the 9th level, making it quite overpowered. I decided that if my freezing wasn''t cold enough to beat a strong monster, I would leave just enough experience points to level it up, which was around 20,000 now.


    Time to see if my effort had paid off.


    [Using 60,000 accumulated experience points]


    [Waterbending up to level 11 (0/120,000)]


    [Using 12,700 accumulated experience points]


    [Stealth up to level 8]


    [Using 15,000 experience points]


    [Chi Bending up to level 9]


    [Able to infuse Chi into fists and kicks to boost damage]


    [Using 30,000 experience points]


    [Chi Bending up to level 10]


    [40% less Chi required when bending.]


    [Able to increase speed and power by 60%]


    I then looked at my stats.


    [


    -Skill Trees:


    Waterbending - 11


    Chi Bending - 10


    -Skills:


    Hunting - 9


    Fishing - 4


    Freeze - 9


    Stealth (Passive) - 8


    Titles: (1/1)


    The Beast Hunter


    Accumulated Experience: 32,000]


    An unlimited amount of information and muscle memory appeared out of nowhere, reminding me of the time I gained consciousness at 3-4 years old. I felt like Neo from The Matrix movie when he said that he knew Kung Fu.


    I would have felt proud if not for the fact that I had to face a wreck tomorrow, and before that, I had to follow the plan I had made to face the 20-meter centipede.


    Initially, I planned to face it as soon as I got waterbending to level 10. But now, I had it at level 11. And between each level, there was an exponential requirement to ascend, and moreover, exponential growth.


    Last time I reached a new level, I could control tentacles on my shoulders with a twitch and even shoot pellets.


    Now, I was quite excited to test it.


    Before the battle, I decided to run a small test.

 Chapter 23 - 23

    Shaw, a commander from the Fire Nation, was invited to an occupied village that housed a prison for Earthbenders.


    The warden had invited him to discuss the recent capture of an Earthbender, who had managed to stay under their radar for his entire 18 years of life.


    Shaw, a black-haired, golden-eyed middle-aged man, stared at the man in his forties. Around him were two guards with masks covering their faces. The reason for the masks was simple: to avoid being attacked by the families of the imprisoned Earthbenders.


    "So¡­ how have you been, my old friend?" said the warden.


    "Old friend, my ass," replied Shaw, to the warden he had served under years ago. "I''m young enough to be your grandson."


    He grumbled, "My son is only 16 years old."


    Shaw smiled. "And you''re still as moody as always."


    "What can I say? Running a prison and raising a family can be mentally tough. Considering the recent events of finding a new Earthbender and holding a survivor from the South Pole, I must say that I''m going to have my hair turning gray soon."


    "But your hair is already gray," deadpanned the commander.


    "Guess time passes quickly," frowned the warden.


    "Anyways, why did you invite me for the execution?" Shaw said. "I understand you want to get an achievement and have a witness, but I didn''t have to be here for that, did I?"


    "That''s only part of my plan," the warden smirked. "Since there are Earthbenders hiding, I''m planning to make an announcement after the execution. Those who don''t turn themselves in will have their families executed. After that, I''m planning to execute the man''s mother and father."


    "Isn''t that too harsh?" said the commander.


    Prison wardens, in general, were known for their sadistic personalities and merciless hearts. But even to Shaw, that level of cruelty seemed extreme.


    Yet, it didn''t seem unnecessary, as it would help get rid of potential enemies who could mass-kill their soldiers.


    On the other hand, Shaw didn''t like it for a reason. He had a suspicion that the warden was doing this because he was frustrated about not getting promoted.


    "What''s there to consider?" the warden waved his hand. "Is it better to see our men being ambushed by Earthbenders? We would announce a search, and those who turn themselves in before the search would have their lives and their families spared. Even if they don''t turn themselves in, their families will."


    "I can see it happening. Even if the prisoners have hidden their relatives'' bending, they''d snitch on them. Such a tactic would save more lives than killing them."


    "This brings me to my second point," said the warden. "Your older brother, Kao, was sent not long ago to search for a waterbender in the South Pole."


    "I told him it would be a waste of time and not to trust the natives who suffer from the cold," scoffed Shaw.


    "Anyways," said the warden, "one of his men managed to return alone, suffering from frostbite. We tried to get answers from him, and he woke up this morning after surgery. But he suffered trauma and couldn''t speak properly."


    Shaw remained calm. "And my brother, what happened to him?"


    He still had his family to worry about.


    "We don''t know. After his man woke up, he cried and said that everyone was dead, and that they faced a monster. Do you think a waterbender did that to them?"


    "Probably," said Shaw. "But even then, it doesn''t make sense. It would if there were many waterbenders. But the last waterbender in the South Pole was killed a long time ago. And those who were capable of fighting joined the rebellion. A single waterbender or two wouldn''t do anything against a full warship. Unless..."


    It didn''t make sense for a waterbender to do all of that. The Firebenders had been fighting against waterbenders for a long time and had developed strategies to counter them. Against the North Pole, they had consistently fought without suffering many losses. Even in a naval battle, they knew how to capture a waterbender.


    Getting trapped in isolated land, with their anchor frozen, food disappearing, and engines ruined, plus starving for a few days, wasn''t something they knew could happen, and they needed to prepare for it.


    "Unless that waterbender is the Avatar. It''s still a possibility. I wouldn''t trust the words of a soldier who was the sole survivor, so I''m going to assume that waterbender is the Avatar," said the warden. "It would make sense why one person could take down a whole trained unit."


    "This is the reason you invited me, then? To avenge my brother and take part in finding the Avatar?"


    "What can I say? For a man my age, getting chances for achievements isn''t something I can hope for frequently," he said.


    "So, about my older brother," Shaw asked.


    "He''s probably about to die," the warden said. "I''ve invited you so we could have more manpower when traveling to the South." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The schedule?" asked the commander.


    "After the execution, by a day," he replied.


    "That waterbender," Shaw looked out the window, his emotions as calm as the surface of a lake on a windless night. "Can he truly be the Avatar?"


    "The last Avatar was supposed to be born as an airbender. He may have lived a long life hiding like a coward and died peacefully," said the warden. "The highest probability is that he''s a waterbender in this life."


    "We''ll find out."


    -x-X-x-


    The man they were discussing wasn''t that concerned about the world.


    It was night, and Ryuk cursed himself for taking on a daring challenge.


    Around his back were six tentacles, moving between the tree branches and pulling his weight.


    On the ground, there was a blue-black figure, 20 meters long.


    Ryuk summoned a water barrel from thin air, smashed it with a water tentacle that had its end in the shape of a mace, and forced the water to pour onto the giant creature''s back.


    The water froze, but the ice broke instantly. The creature raised its head five meters into the air and jumped after Ryuk, who turned the water tentacles into a water barrier that he froze. The barrier flew away with Ryuk, smashing a tree before turning back into water.


    "Okay," Ryuk said. "I was trying to avoid doing this. But you gave me no choice."

 Chapter 24 - 24

    I felt like Doctor Octopus with all those arms around my back. Anyway, I was using Chi bending to increase my bending response speed and my own speed, while avoiding the large predator. I was dodging and attacking hopelessly.


    The freezing didn''t work, as it managed to break the ice every time I froze it around it, even though my freezing abilities had improved.


    It reminded me of a deep wisdom:


    If violence doesn''t work, then more violence is the answer.


    There was one thing I could do.


    After I put some distance between us, I opened my system window, selected the Freeze skill, and allocated my experience points to it. A confirmation message popped up, and in the background, there was an intimidating face I couldn''t quite describe. Even though it was night, it looked terrifying as it approached me with incredible speed.


    [Freeze up to level 10]


    I pushed my hands forward, and the tentacles extended, pressing against its face. I lifted my hands, and the water tentacles pulled my weight, raising me above the predator. I continued running until I was far from its head. The last thing I wanted was to get bitten while trying to freeze it.


    ''All I need is to make one wound.''


    I placed my hand on it, spreading water from two tentacles over its surface and freezing it.


    A very cold breeze swept through the air. Even for a waterbender like me, this was too much cold.


    "Hshshshs..."


    The giant insect lurched, trying to push me away.


    ''It''s in pain.''


    ''Defrost.'' I thought. One water tentacle transformed its end into the shape of a blade and slashed through.


    Did you know that freezing things and then defrosting them causes them to break on a molecular level?


    I made a wound about the length of my arm. It may not seem like much given the animal''s size, but it was enough for me.


    There were two things I could do now. One, bend the blood out of its body ¡ª it''s still technically waterbending. Or I could just freeze it.


    ''Freeze.'' I thought as I placed my hand on the blood. A sharp, sensational feeling of the entire circulatory system of the animal flooded my mind. I was able to interrupt the sensation from my waterbending better this time.


    The centipede turned and attacked me with its large head.


    I had no choice but to dodge and leap away, clinging to a huge tree.


    The centipede''s head collided with its tail, breaking it and severing that part of its body.


    It looked at me, hissed, and then turned away.


    I tried to run after it.


    But I thought it might have kids, siblings, or worse, parents.


    I stayed still.


    I must admit...


    Haru is a lucky son of a bitch.


    The self-made deal indicated that if I couldn''t hurt the centipede, I wouldn''t do anything for his execution.


    But now, I had to attack the prison.


    "The only problem is, I''m jack-shit tired," I sighed heavily, looking down.


    An animal the size of a normal tiger appeared.


    After living in this forest for a few days, I realized that polar bears and tigers weren''t that scary at all. The long-necked wolves were the most dangerous.


    ''It''s very small compared to the others. Seems like I can tame it.'' I jumped off the tree. The water I had spilled during the fight with the centipede was pulled from the ground as I clapped my hands together, and it attached to my back.


    "Grrr." The tiger growled at me, slowly approaching. It was only two meters in length.


    ''Big enough to become nice ride.''


    I thought as I pulled something from my storage: dried salted fish. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I threw one of them.


    The animal lowered its head and sniffed.


    Its eyes lit up, and soon, it pounced on the fish.


    After it finished, it looked at me expectantly. But since I didn''t give it more food, it growled at me.


    ''It''s as if it''s saying, I''m the alpha, and if you don''t give me food, you''ll be my food.''


    I thought. In my previous life, I had a feral cat that I fed from the time it was a cub. But it used to threaten to hit me. After I stomped on the ground whenever it showed aggression, it became very tame.


    "Very well. I''ll name you Lucy," I said, stomping on the ground.


    The tiger jumped at me.


    The tentacles formed around my shoulder and held the tiger from the limbs. I clenched my fist, Chi boosted, and punched its face. Then I screamed at it. The growling stopped.


    "Grrr¡­"


    I grabbed another fish from my head.


    The tiger tried to attack me to get it, and I could feel it through the twitches.


    "Hush." I slapped it on the face and held it by the back of the neck. "If you want it, you have to behave. Now, would you like to behave?"


    The cat didn''t show any aggressive response, and I pushed the fish to its head. It slowly ate. I increased the amount of fish and slowly let it down. Its attitude changed immediately, and I petted it on the head. It didn''t fight back.


    I patted it, and it looked at me. It seemed to understand that I could feed it and that it couldn''t defeat me.


    "Okay, Lucy. There''s a village 4 hours away. Once you get me there in less time, I''ll feed you more," I said. A fish appeared in front of me, linked to a tentacle. I then quickly jumped on the little tiger''s back and placed it in front of its face. The tiger walked to catch the fish, but as it stepped, the fish got farther away.


    Soon, it started running, and I controlled the direction towards the village.


    -x-X-x-


    One hour later, Lucy was panting, and I was near the village.


    I placed all of the fish in front of it and let it eat to its heart''s content. It gave me a side-eye, as if it understood I''d played a trick on it, but it didn''t do anything other than eat.


    [Ding. You have tamed a young tiger.]


    [Ding. Would you like to name it?]


    ''Sure. Lucy.'' I thought.


    [You have named Lucy.]


    [Lucy.


    Age: 6 months.


    Favoritism: 20 (Fear you, but understand that it depends on you if it wants to live.)]


    The system seemed to have established some type of connection. I could literally feel the emotions of the tiger.


    Just six months old. This animal had the potential to grow up to be huge.


    As for the favoritism, I figured I could do things to increase it.


    As long as I had a system, I would easily be able to distinguish what works and what doesn''t.


    "Lucy." I called.


    Lucy''s eye twitched, but it didn''t acknowledge me.


    "Nod if you understand," I said.


    It didn''t reply.


    "If you don''t nod, I''ll smash my tentacles up to your butt hole," I threatened.


    The young tiger paused, slowly nodding.


    [Lucy: Favoritism: -1]


    ''I don''t care. As long as it''s obedient.''


    "Good," I said. "Now, Lucy. Stay here, and don''t get into the village or attack any humans. Do you understand?"


    The tiger gave me a side-eye without nodding.


    "I''ll bring you back some food. So wait here." I said.


    [Lucy: Favoritism +1]


    I smiled.


    Frankly, I didn''t know if I would bring the food back or become food myself.


    Although I''d gotten stronger, I wasn''t in the best shape. My eyelids were quite heavy, and if not for the adrenaline, I would have fallen asleep. There were dark bags under my eyes.


    But I couldn''t.


    It was past midnight, and now was the best time to cause havoc for the Fire Nation.


    Plus, since I had acquired the Stealth skill and raised it quietly, I was optimistic that I could sneak in.


    All that was left now was to find a Firebender and take his armor and mask.


    To succeed, I needed three things: Focus, Commitment, and sheer fucking will.


    With that in mind, I turned the tentacles into an ice cube and stored them before walking toward the village that held the prison.

 Chapter 25 - 25

    had gone quite far on foot, and then swam to save time and reach the prison rig.


    It was also near the sea called Mo Ce, which happened to link the western Earth Kingdom and the eastern Fire Nation.


    Now, I was walking on the bridge that led there.


    If I hadn''t earned the Stealth skill, I wouldn''t have attempted this just yet.


    I didn''t know how it went so smoothly, but I managed to sneak behind the two guards and enter the base, which was offshore.


    I turned my head and thought about killing them instantly without anyone realizing. But what if someone came from afar and noticed their absence? I knew I had a storage to store dead bodies, but it was almost full.


    After making up my mind, I decided to move in.


    The prison was quite illuminated inside.


    At this time of night, not many people were awake, making it the perfect time and place to do what I desired.


    However, as someone who played samurai games in my previous life, I didn''t dare to walk in confidently. I didn''t know if they had set up triggers for alarms or something. The solution I came up with was simple: crawl on the roof. Thanks to my waterbending, it was very possible to do so. And, having reached level 11 in waterbending, it was easier than I had anticipated.


    Hearing heavy footsteps from ahead, I paused.


    A Firebender, with a mask on his shoulder, was walking and talking to himself.


    "I''m glad my vacation request was approved. Tomorrow, I''ll leave. I can finally take a break for six months, play with my son and daughter, and have fun with my wife. My mood is so good that nothing can shit on it."


    ''Sorry.'' I thought, as I summoned an ice cube from my storage, turning it into a water tentacle that extended from my hand, wrapped itself around his face, and pulled him upward.


    The soldier tried to scream, but his face was surrounded by water. He attempted some foolish bending move, but it was useless as I moved my fingers, making the water enter his respiratory system and freeze it from the inside.


    [Defeating an average Firebender.]


    [+1200 accumulated experience]


    [Waterbending +100 exp]


    [Stealth +200 exp]


    I quickly placed my hand on the clothes, transferring them to my storage, before equipping them. Out of thin air, the attire of a prison guard appeared on me. Thankfully, they had masks, so I didn''t have to hide my tanned skin.


    ''This should make the assassination process go smoother than I anticipated.'' I thought to myself. ''The plan is simple: kill as many as I can, take out the Earthbenders, and spread chaos while making my name known.''


    I made the water tentacle surround the Firebender''s corpse and freeze it to the roof, sticking him there. I jumped off the roof and landed on my feet. There was a little noise, but it didn''t attract anyone''s attention.


    And so, I began walking around.


    I met a couple of guards on my way. The poor fellows raised their hands to greet me.


    But too bad for them, they were caught off guard.


    I placed my hands on their shoulders and started chatting.


    "So, how have you been?" I asked.


    "Nothing much," one of them replied. "Just ready to get some sleep. Hey, want to cover for me?"


    The poor guy. He didn''t know I was using one of the advanced bending skills, the freezing palm. From a distance, it would take a lot of time, but when touching the bodies you want to freeze, as long as they have water in them, they can be frozen.


    The only downside is that it took four seconds to complete. But compared to the 10 seconds it took at level 8, four seconds were plenty.


    [Defeating 2 guards]


    [+2000 accumulated experience points]


    [Freeze +200 exp]


    As they were chatting, they didn''t realize they were already dead. Had I cut their necks or any part of their bodies, the freezing would have been instant.


    ''It makes you wonder why the bloodbender in Legend of Korra never froze their enemies'' blood, despite being able to bloodbend them.'' I thought. ''Maybe that didn''t align with their goals. Anyway.''


    I checked my system.


    The storage, in order to be upgraded, needed 50,000 experience points. It would then go from the size of an apartment to the size of a two-story villa.


    ''I''m already sick of hunting beasts,'' I thought as I emptied my storage of two water barrels, put the bodies in, and went to a nearby room to hide them. There were other Firebenders sleeping. Lucky sons of bitches¡ªthey died without feeling any pain.


    After hiding the bodies and freezing them out of habit, I got out and placed the water barrels back into my storage.


    I continued touring the prison, taking care of any enemy that appeared in my way. Floor by floor, I was getting closer to my destination. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A thick door made of metal stood before me.


    The whole prison was made of iron. It made you wonder how much money the Fire Nation spent on something like this as a prison. Moreover, it showed the influence the Fire Nation had.


    ''Seriously. Thinking something like this would stop anyone. It only works on Firebenders and Airbenders.''


    I summoned a bit of water and inserted it into the keyhole, before solidifying it and unlocking the door.


    As I opened the door and stepped in, I saw a flat land with wooden houses scattered about. There were detainees.


    A few cabins were here and there, but most people were asleep outside. Given the white color of their hair, they were already old.


    I walked around, my eyes darting left and right.


    At the edge of the prison were wooden spikes. I walked over to the edge and looked. The prison was very high. If anyone had decided to jump over, they would face serious risks.


    Jumping from a great height into water wasn''t as safe as it looked in movies.


    One could snap their spine into many pieces. And in this era, without modern medicine, that meant death.


    Not to mention, even if they jumped using the right technique, there were about four ships nearby.


    ''Four ships for a prison. Seems they have guests.'' I thought as I walked around.


    I found Haru hugging his legs, not asleep, ignoring me.


    I guess no one would sleep on their supposed last day in life.


    "Wake up, everyone, and get ready. I''m going to be brief," I said.


    Haru looked at me. "What''s the problem? I''m not supposed to die until morning."


    "And I''m supposed to sleep. But here we are," I said, pulling my mask down.


    Haru opened his eyes wide.


    "Ryuk, what are you doing here?" he asked. "Why are you wearing armor? Hold on, you''re a spy this whole time?" He looked at me, betrayed.


    "No, I just wore this to sneak in. We don''t have time for chit-chat. Wake everyone up before the next shift of guards comes," I urged, holding back the urge to kick him in the head. "I have a plan."

 Chapter 26 - 26

    I smiled warmly at the prisoners who had gathered around me. The smile I wore, however, wasn''t genuine. I was simply trying to earn their trust. At any rate, if they wanted to be free, they had no choice but to trust me.


    And if they didn''t? Well, in the worst case, I would have to do everything on my own.


    "I''ve gathered everyone as you asked," Haru said.


    I looked around. There were only a few young earthbenders here¡ªmost of them were past their forties.


    Man, the Fire Nation was truly ruthless. But judging by their physique, they seemed well-fed. At least their caloric needs were met.


    "Alright, guys. Are you ready to escape this prison?" I asked.


    "Why do you want us to escape?" a bald man with hair growing on the sides asked.


    "Father, he''s a friend I made on the road," Haru replied.


    "How long have you known him?" Haru''s father asked.


    "For two weeks," Haru answered.


    "People who have only known you for two weeks don''t risk their lives to save you," his father said.


    He wasn''t entirely wrong. If I hadn''t gained power in the forest of monsters, I wouldn''t have attempted this. No, if I hadn''t acquired the Stealth skill, I wouldn''t have even considered it.


    "There''s something in it for me as well," I admitted. "And I need all of you."


    "What''s in it for you?" an old woman asked skeptically.


    "A rebellion," I said. "With all of you gathered here, the Fire Nation soldiers won''t stand a chance."


    From the beginning, my goal was to attract attention.


    Seeing the three warships outside, I figured that someone of high rank was here. I didn''t believe they had all gathered just to witness the execution of a mere earthbender.


    They were likely preparing to head to the South Pole.


    And if my gut feeling was right, the punitive army would leave right after the execution.


    I figured it would be difficult to deal with all of them at once.


    So, leading a small rebellion would not only provide me with manpower, but also attract attention.


    Moreover, if a waterbender became known for leading a rebellion against the Fire Nation in the Earth Kingdom, I would become a major distraction. By creating enough chaos here, I could help keep the South Pole safe.


    "Sounds like a good plan," an old woman deadpanned. "But in case you haven''t noticed, we can''t bend metal, and the nearest land is far from that metal bridge. Even if we miraculously escape, reinforcements will arrive. Without earth to bend, we''re nothing but ants against firebenders. My bones are already creaky, and I''d rather not have my skin burned."


    The other prisoners nodded in agreement.


    "Why not jump into the water?" I suggested, tilting my head toward the sea.


    "Do my bones look like they''re made of metal?" she shot back.


    I smirked. "So, you''re afraid of the impact?"


    "It''s certain death. Besides, even if we survived the fall, the splashing sound would alert the ships," she pointed out.


    "Easy peasy," I chuckled, walking to the edge.


    The earthbenders followed me.


    Taking my stance, I waved my arms, pulling water from the sea and freezing it into a smooth, curving slide. The ice wasn''t as cold as I could make it¡ªjust stable enough for them to glide down safely.


    "A slide?"


    "From this angle, you won''t hurt your backs," I explained. "Just slide down. Once you''re all in the water, I''ll use my waterbending to create a current that will carry you to shore."


    The prisoners exchanged hesitant glances, murmuring among themselves.


    They kept glancing at the ice slide but seemed unable to make up their minds.


    I understood.


    I had once raised a bird in my past life. When I first opened its cage, it refused to leave. But eventually, it learned to fly and always came back home. How did I get it to leave? I simply made staying inside scarier than leaving.


    I thought about giving these prisoners a small push¡ªsomething to convince them that staying here was the greater risk. I didn''t like resorting to underhanded methods, but I needed the earthbenders on my side.


    "Well, guys. I won''t force you," I said, walking over to Haru and placing an arm around his shoulder. "Life is short. I guess it''s not worth living if you''re just waiting for your turn. The Fire Nation is unpredictable these days."


    The message was clear: Haru was set for execution first, and who knew whose turn would come next?


    The old woman who had been the most stubborn was the first to step forward. She slid down.


    Then, a second person followed.


    "Let''s go, son," Haru''s father said. "Better to die fighting than die like chickens, waiting." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One by one, they followed suit. There were more of them than I had realized. But I didn''t have time to count.


    However, if these people fought on land with their earthbending, the Fire Nation soldiers wouldn''t stand a chance in a direct battle¡ªnot without tanks and war machines. And even then, earthbenders would still be formidable opponents.


    Once everyone had gone down, I slid after them, melting the ice behind me.


    I landed in the water behind the earthbenders and said, "Okay, guys. You know the basics of swimming, so go on."


    I then thrust my hands forward, creating a strong current that carried the earthbenders across the sea at the speed of a boat.


    It didn''t take long to reach the other side, where land awaited them.


    "I never thought I''d be free after so long."


    "Is it finally over?"


    "I''m happy¡­ I can finally see my grandson again."


    I clapped my hands, silencing their cheers.


    "It''s not over yet, guys."


    They turned to face me.


    I continued, "By now, most of the Fire Nation forces are asleep, but once they realize you''ve escaped, they''ll rally their troops. I''m sure wise folks like you already know what that means. No offense to the younger ones here. If you don''t want to be struck, you have to strike first. So, when the sun rises, I need you to attack every post and guard nearby."


    "What about you?" Haru asked.


    "I''ll handle the extra ships," I said, turning to glance at the warships in the distance. There were three in total¡ªmost likely the punitive force meant for the South Pole.


    Thinking about the South Pole, I still hadn''t found the survivor I was looking for, despite infiltrating their massive base. That bastard was lucky.


    "Are you certain, young man?" Haru''s father asked. "Even if you''re talented, and even though you have an advantage in a sea battle, Fire Nation soldiers have ways to deal with waterbenders. . Alone, you can''t take them on."


    "I know. Just do your part," I replied, not wanting to argue. After all, my goal was simple¡ªto create chaos.


    Suddenly, we all stopped and turned our heads.


    A group of soldiers, who had apparently been out for a nighttime exercise, stood atop a cliff, staring straight at us.

 Chapter 27 - 27

    We looked up at the top of the hill, where a group of fire soldiers stood, their sweaty faces illuminated in the dim dawn light. They wore loose-fitting clothes, likely finishing their morning workout. Unfortunately, they had spotted us.


    One of them raised his hand, summoning a flame that flickered above his palm, casting light over the shore.


    "These are the prisoners."


    "They''ve escaped."


    "And they''ve taken one of us hostage."


    "They''re rebelling?"


    They spoke among themselves as if it didn''t matter that we could hear them.


    "You disgusting earthbenders," one of the firebenders sneered, stepping forward. He looked down at us, his gaze filled with disdain. "You''ve committed a grave sin by escaping prison and kidnapping one of our own. By law, we have every right to execute you here and now. But I''m willing to compromise. Surrender now¡ªput your heads to the ground and your hands behind your backs. We''ll take you back and only execute the one who planned this foolish escape attempt."


    His voice was serious, his tone authoritative. We needed to silence him before he caused trouble. I was about to step forward and shoot a stream of water at him when I felt a pat on my back.


    Haru was holding my shoulder. When I turned to look at him, he gave me a slight shake of his head and gestured toward the others.


    I wasn''t the only one who was offended.


    The earthbenders were glaring at the firebenders with silent rage.


    They exchanged glances and nodded.


    Then, I remembered an important fact¡ªone earthbender alone had limited power, but together, they could achieve feats beyond imagination.


    Ten earthbenders stepped forward in perfect unison.


    The ground beneath the fire soldiers suddenly softened, pulling them down like quicksand. Before they could react, another group of older earthbenders moved their arms in a synchronized motion, their fists rolling back in preparation. A massive earthen fist formed from the shifting dirt and launched the trapped soldiers into the air, sending them hurtling toward the sea.


    But that wasn''t the end.


    A barrage of small yet fast-moving rocks shot up from the ground, striking the firebenders midair before they splashed into the ocean.


    "You guys have perfect coordination," I said, genuinely impressed.


    "Of course we do," one of them replied with a smirk. "For over ten years, we ate together, slept together, and suffered together. Most of us fought alongside each other against the Fire Nation before we were captured."


    "That''s a long time," I mused as I approached the shore where the firebenders had fallen.


    Raising my hand, I pulled at the water, creating a wave that dragged the soldiers back onto the beach.


    I was about to finish them off when the old woman¡ªthe one who had argued with me in prison¡ªstepped forward.


    She said, "I advise you not to kill them yet. We can use them as hostages in case things take a turn for the worse."


    I considered her words. She had a point¡ªhostages could be useful.


    But taking them with us meant slowing our movement and constantly watching them. Not to mention the risk of one of them escaping.


    "No. The risks are too high," I said. "If we take them, we lose the element of surprise. Besides, we can always capture more."


    I placed my hand on each of the soaked firebenders, one by one.


    They froze instantly. Their eyes darted in panic before their consciousness faded with the drop in temperature.


    I had been thinking a lot about this world. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t the same as the one I had watched in the cartoon.


    Being frozen didn''t just mean being immobilized¡ªit meant a high chance of death.


    Getting hit by a rock wouldn''t just knock you out or send you flying¡ªit would crack your skull open.


    A firebender''s attack wouldn''t just cause injuries¡ªit would burn you alive.


    [Freeze ++++]


    [Freeze (10,000/60,000)]


    A notification appeared before me. I realized just how much I had been relying on freezing techniques.


    Well, even if I couldn''t use bloodbending yet, mastering ice manipulation would put me in a league of my own. The colder I could make my ice, the deadlier I would become.


    The earthbenders didn''t show any emotion as they stared at the frozen soldiers.


    Neither did I when the next notification rang in my head.


    [+15,000 accumulated experience]


    [+ Title: The Deadly Ice]


    [Title Effect: -40% Chi consumption when using Freeze. +30% power boost to Icebending. +30% experience gain for Freeze Skill.]


    [Do you wish to equip the title?]


    I examined the newly acquired title. It suited my combat style perfectly. The only downside was that I could only equip one title at a time. But I wasn''t hunting beasts right now, so I didn''t need the Beast Hunter title.


    ''Yes.''


    [Title has been equipped.]


    "What do we do now?" Haru asked.


    "You guys go to the village. Wait for sunrise, then occupy everything. Capture a few firebenders and announce a public execution," I said. "I''ll go and freeze the warships'' anchors. We can''t have reinforcements escaping and bringing more troops."


    "A public execution?" someone questioned.


    "Not all of them," I clarified. "But we need to send a message to the Fire Nation soldiers who tried to execute one of our own."


    -x-X-x-


    The sun had begun to rise.


    By this time, the higher-ups would be waking up, expecting their soldiers to greet them.


    That was how life worked for Commander Shaw and the warden of the prison.


    Shaw, who was in his ship, wasn''t expecting anyone to barge in without permission¡ªlet alone without knocking on his cabin door.


    The warden stood there, his eyes wide with panic, sweat dripping down his face.


    "I believe someone like you knows the military code," Shaw scoffed.


    "I believe someone like you understands what this means," the warden snapped back. "Most of my staff have been assassinated. The prisoners have escaped. And our soldiers are being prepared for public execution."


    "What?!" Shaw screeched. "How the hell did this happen? A public execution¡ªfor our men? How did they even manage to escape?! Issue the order! Move the ships to the shore immediately!"


    A soldier standing nearby rushed off.


    Moments later, he returned, his face pale and covered in sweat.


    "Commander¡­ the anchors¡­ they''ve been frozen solid. We can''t move the ships until the ice is melted."


    "What?!" Shaw roared. "That makes no damn sense! The water is salty! It''s not even winter!"


    A voice cut through the room.


    "Makes you wonder, huh?"


    A second later, the soldier who had just reported the frozen anchor turned into an ice statue and collapsed onto the floor.


    A tanned man with tired blue eyes stepped into the room.


    "Well, well," I said, smirking. "Didn''t expect to find two high-ranking officers in one place."


    I stepped forward.


    "So¡­ which one of you wants to be my hostage?"

 Chapter 28 - 28

    I looked at the two men before me. One was a short, old, gray-haired man who seemed to be the warden, given his luxurious and unique black armor. The other was a tall, young man with black hair, dressed in black silk adorned with the pattern of a golden dragon.


    ''I feel that this one is stronger than the captain I killed in the south,'' I thought. ''He should be worth a considerable amount of experience points. At any rate, I shouldn''t let my guard down. I''ll test the waters first.''


    "So, which one of you wants to become my hostage? Don''t try to resist," I said. But inwardly, I hoped they would resist. I needed a good excuse to earn experience points. Although this was real life, the only difference between it and a game was that a game had an experience bar. Other than that, they were quite similar. When you disconnect from life, the world no longer exists to you. The same applies to games.


    Though, in games, you wouldn''t get emotionally attached.


    ''They consider our lives a game to boost their ego. Why shouldn''t we treat them the same?'' I walked confidently. The warden had a scarred, defensive body language. As for the young man, he exuded a confident aura.


    He stood up. Instantly, the chair he had been sitting on flew toward me. Infusing my Chi into my foot, I kicked the chair, shattering it into pieces.


    It was a good time to bend the ice water cube I had placed by the door.


    But the young man appeared in front of me instantly, launching a kick toward my face. I tilted backward, my eyes widening slightly as I saw a stream of fire flying alongside his heel.


    Using my footwork, I jumped back, narrowly dodging the fire that almost burned my face.


    But it wasn''t over. The enemy spun with the kick, creating a circle of fire that distracted me from an inside kick that struck my stomach. Reacting quickly, I used Chi bending to boost my strength. But even that couldn''t fully nullify the momentum.


    ''Since when do soldiers know taekwondo?'' I thought to myself, glaring at him.


    "I''m not like the rest of the soldiers you know," he declared. "I''m Commander Shaw, a master firebender. You''ll remember my name as the great red line you''ve crossed in your life."


    "You''re very humble, Master Shaw," I smirked, brushing the dust off my shirt. This was the strongest firebender I''d fought so far. It meant I needed to keep my guard up around others like Iroh and Azula¡ªand especially the Fire Lord.


    "Since you''re a martial artist and firebender, what do you think is most important¡ª" I began, two water tentacles forming around my shoulders.


    Shaw didn''t let me finish. He jumped at me, delivering a side kick with fire trailing behind, forcing me to dodge.


    "Not even letting me finish my line," I scoffed.


    ''Seems I''m not the main character. It''s better if I avoid death flags.''


    One of the water tentacles separated and spread across the floor.


    "You idiot. This is the best bending move you can do?" the warden, who had been watching from the sidelines, mocked. "You''re so pathetic."


    "I was going to say footwork is the most important," I said.


    Shaw had already taken his stance, forming a fist and stepping forward to strike.


    But then, he slipped and shot a fire blast toward the ceiling.


    "Without footwork, you can''t fight," I said, walking calmly on the ice. More water tentacles appeared on my back, thanks to the ice cube by the door.


    I clapped my hands and smiled at Master Shaw.


    "What? Never trained martial arts on frozen ground?" I smirked. "Looks like your training is lacking."


    Shaw tried to stand and slowly regain his balance on the icy surface.


    But before he could steady himself, the tentacles on my back attacked him, their ends turning into ice blades. I waved them left and right. Their sheer number made them hard to predict and even harder to dodge.


    Multiple cuts appeared on Master Shaw''s body, and I forced him to his knees.


    "Shit," he cursed. I made the tentacles wrap around his limbs and lift him off the ground. I turned to the warden and said, "Your turn is next. I just need the notification."


    I was about to deliver the finishing blow.


    But Shaw surprised me. He opened his mouth wide and shot a massive stream of fire at me.


    Caught off guard, I surrounded him with water and froze him on the spot. Meanwhile, I crossed my arms, taking the fire head-on. The flames dissipated, leaving me with burning wounds.


    "Tsk. It''s so painful," I grumbled, looking at my hands. "Nothing a little waterbending can''t fix," I muttered to myself. Since most of the human body is made of water, it made sense that channeling Chi through it could heal injuries.


    But first, I needed to focus on more pressing matters.


    I looked at the commander, trapped inside the icy water.


    "Frostbite or death. Choose," I said. "But since you don''t submit easily, I''ll choose for you."


    His eyes darted left and right within the ice.


    The firebender seemed to be able to control his own body heat.


    I had to admit, he was talented.


    But too bad for him.


    I didn''t need a hostage.


    I pointed my hand at him. The ice around his head melted, and the water slipped into his nose, killing him from within.


    [Ding. Defeating a semi-master firebender and an intermediate martial artist]


    [+10,000 experience points]


    [Freezing +++]


    [Waterbending +2000 exp]


    [Ding. A skill has dropped]


    [Do you wish to learn the skill tree: Martial Arts?]


    [New Skill has been acquired.]


    He was worth so much experience that it wasn''t a waste to kill him.


    The warden, who had been watching, tried to run. But since the ground was covered in ice, he slipped and fell on his face.


    I ignored him and melted the ice around the commander''s body, then bent the water to form a healing layer around me.


    A faint light glowed within the water, and my burns began to heal rapidly. It didn''t take long for me to recover completely. The sooner they healed, the better. Besides, I didn''t want to end up with scars and look like Prince Zuko. Poor Zuko.


    There was a technique I wanted to develop, but I had postponed it because the circumstances weren''t suitable, and it wasn''t something to learn on the battlefield.


    The idea was to use my own body''s water to heal instead of relying on external sources. Since a high percentage of the human body is made of water, channeling my Chi through it¡ªor through my blood¡ªshould allow me to self-heal while standing.


    Still, it wasn''t something to attempt with enemies around. Not in the forest, and certainly not here.


    The warden, who had been trying and failing miserably to escape, fell to the ground again and looked at me with fear.


    Shaw lay there, frozen like a statue.


    It seemed not everyone was like Aang, able to survive being frozen. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Anyway, the ice on the ground turned into water, which surrounded the warden''s feet and froze. I approached him.


    Holding my chin, I mused, "Would killing you be worth it?"


    The wrinkles on the warden''s forehead twitched.


    "Please, sir," he stammered in fear.


    "A week ago, a firebender who had gone to the South Pole arrived here. Where is he, and how much do you know?" I asked.


    "He''s a survivor¡­ We suspected that his unit was annihilated by a waterbender whom we believed to be the Avatar," he stuttered. "As for the man in question, he''s been sent to the Fire Nation to retire. He lost both of his legs, so he can''t participate in battle anymore. Wait¡­ Is that you?"


    ''Seriously. That motherfucker,'' I sighed. ''I give up. I won''t kill him.''


    "Well, it seems I''m that waterbender," I said, looking at the warden. "Not the Avatar, though." I thought of a way to use him.

 Chapter 29 - 29

    [After successfully assassinating 100 men and beasts, you have earned a title]


    [Shadow Lurker: You gain an extra 50% experience when performing an assassination]


    [Stealth upgraded to level 10]


    I looked at the notifications and realized something.


    This system, although it doesn''t have a way to increase stats directly, still provides significant help through skills and titles.


    ''But to equip an extra title, I would need to spend 50,000 experience points, which I''d find more useful for upgrading high-level skills,'' I thought as I swept my hand through the air.


    A man I had been dragging by the collar looked at me strangely and said, "Why the hell are you waving your hand in the air?"


    "Because it feels easier that way," I replied, not giving him my full attention as I focused on my skills screen.


    ---


    [*Skill Trees:


    Waterbending - 11


    Chi Bending - 10


    Martial Arts - 1


    *Skills:


    Hunting - 9


    Fishing - 4


    Freeze - 10


    Stealth (Passive) - 10


    *Titles: (3/1)


    The Deadly Ice (Equipped)


    Shadow Lurker


    Beast Hunter


    *Accumulated Experience: 230,000]


    ---


    Assassinating that many firebenders and fire soldiers had been very rewarding. I couldn''t believe my eyes as I looked at the amount of accumulated experience I had gathered. Not to mention, thanks to using my skills frequently, I had earned a lot of experience without needing to dip too much into my accumulated reserves.


    It was a total win in that regard.


    Now, there was one problem I had to address.


    The fact that the warden and the commander thought I was the Avatar, based on what the fire soldier had reported. This meant others would likely think the same.


    Moreover, they didn''t know I was no longer in the South Pole, so I needed to force someone to make a report about the rebellion and other events.


    My eyes naturally fell on the warden. But I couldn''t simply force him to write a report, as that would expose the communication methods with higher-ups and introduce the risk of sending false information.


    Anyway, I believed I had achieved my first goal, which was to create enough chaos to attract attention. Now, I needed to find a way to make these achievements known.


    I held the warden by the back of his neck as if he were a cat. He was relatively small, and I could easily increase my strength thanks to my Chi bending. Plus, I was built like a tank, with muscles to match.


    I made my way to the village. The ships near the bridge had already been dealt with, and the smell of bodies wafted from them. I didn''t want to deal with that, so I decided to leave it to the earthbenders.


    If you''re wondering if killing the soldiers was all I did, you''d be wrong.


    After achieving my purpose, I emptied the storage a bit and filled it with money, jewels, and anything else of value that could come in handy.


    I reached the village and spotted some elderly people at the entrance.


    They had already changed out of their typical prisoner''s clothes and into the traditional attire of Earth Kingdom natives.


    "Ryuk," one of them called.


    "Hi," I nodded, feeling awkward that I didn''t know¡ªor couldn''t remember¡ªhis name.


    "We''ve done as you asked," he said. "We launched a surprise attack, and it went as smoothly as you said it would."


    "Where are the others?" I asked as I entered.


    There were fewer earthbenders around compared to when I had first arrived at the prison.


    "They''re reuniting with their families," he said. Then, his eyes darted down to my hand. "The warden?"


    "I figured he could be of use," I said, smiling as I threw the warden toward him. "If you could, lock him up."


    "Sure thing," he replied, grabbing the warden by the neck.


    "Hey! I won''t accept such rude treatment!" the warden snapped.


    The earthbender swept his hand across the ground and then pressed it against the warden''s mouth, creating a solid earth strap to silence him.


    The warden''s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at me.


    I shrugged. It wasn''t my problem that he was being mouthy.


    Besides, I was utterly exhausted and needed to sleep as soon as possible.


    The training week had drained a lot of my energy. Unfortunately, I wasn''t like a game character that could recover HP and stamina by drinking water and eating. It seemed I was playing in story mode.


    I decided to check on things and then take a break.


    "So, Ryuk, when will we start the public execution?" asked the earthbender.


    "Announce it for a month from now, but carry it out tomorrow," I said.


    "Huh? Why?" he asked.


    "Simple. If some of them are planning to escape, they''ll make their plans over the course of a month. But if we tell them it''s happening tomorrow, they won''t have time to prepare."


    "That''s quite sneaky. It doesn''t align with the straightforward style of earthbending."


    "Everyone is celebrating with their families, but you and a few others aren''t. I can guess why," I said, grabbing the old man by the collar. "Does going to jail, staying there for 17 damn years, missing your kids growing up, and maybe seeing your family caught in the war align with your straightforward earthbending?"


    By no means was I a merciful man. From my previous life, I had learned something: if you knock a man down and don''t finish him off, he''ll get back up and punch you in the back of the head, and you''ll be the one leaving on a stretcher. So, no matter what, never play clean. Always play dirty.


    He took a moment to think about my words. His fists clenched in anger, and he shook his head.


    "No," he said.


    I ordered, "Gather everyone and tell them the plan. We''re not going to execute everyone¡ªjust those who have committed murders and war crimes. It''s easy to find witnesses among the villagers. We need the firebenders as hostages in case they try to attack." sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Roger that," he replied, his head down and fists clenched in anger¡ªanger that wasn''t directed at me.


    I left him and walked through the village to check on things. Many fire soldiers were tied up with ropes and shackles. The villagers were celebrating the return of the earthbenders.


    I left the village and went to the edge of the settlement.


    There was a beast I couldn''t leave waiting, or it might cause havoc and get crushed by an earthbender.


    A large tiger cub was lying on its stomach.


    I approached it, holding some meat I had taken from one of the ships.


    "Lucy," I clapped my hands. "Come here."


    Lucy walked reluctantly toward me, giving me a sidelong glare.


    I sighed and summoned more food from my storage.


    I didn''t mind showing the storage to the tiger since, well, it couldn''t tell anyone about my system or storage. In fact, we were bound by the system.


    Lucy pounced on the food and began eating.


    [Lucy: Favoritism +5]


    I rubbed my chin, impressed that I had gained an extra five points in one go.


    I patted the tiger''s head, and it didn''t attack me, too focused on the food.


    It was a good thing it didn''t try to attack me. I had summoned a water barrel just in case.


    "Stay here, and I''ll come back with more food tonight. For now, I''m going to take a nap," I said.


    I wasn''t actually going to nap, but I had one more trick to pull, and then I''d consider my job done.


    You see, I needed to make my achievements known to the Fire Nation, and the best way to do that wasn''t through rumors but through a trusted source.


    ''Now, how do I trick the warden¡­'' I thought to myself. I placed my palm on my fist and opened my eyes wide. ''That''s it!''

 Chapter 30 - 30

    The warden, Lee, was hugging his legs. He was now under house arrest in one of the homes, and the earthbenders had left him to celebrate.


    He had never expected this to happen to him in his life. On the day he was supposed to accomplish his greatest achievement, he had been taken down by the waterbender he had originally wanted to target.


    Was the universe playing some sort of cruel joke on him?


    Now that he realized the man wasn''t the Avatar, he knew his efforts would have been in vain. Not only that, but he had gotten himself arrested and lost control over the prison rig. And that wasn''t even the worst part.


    All of his military achievements were now meaningless. He was a mere hostage.


    If these stupid earthbenders thought he was of any value to the Fire Nation, they would be wrong.


    His only value lay in the connections he had made with the higher-ups, and that was it.


    "Sir."


    Suddenly, a short man with a bad leg stood in front of him after opening the door.


    It was the same man who had snitched on Haru, the man Lee had wanted to execute.


    "What are you doing here?" Lee asked.


    "I''ve come to rescue you, sir," said the snitch. "When I saw that the earthbenders had taken over, I was afraid they would turn their attention to me next. So, I figured the best course of action was to help you and free you. Hurry up, sir. It''s midnight, and they''re asleep."


    Okay. The joke the universe was playing wasn''t as cruel as Lee had initially thought.


    He had a chance.


    He could escape now.


    But there was a catch.


    The Fire Lord never accepted traitors or cowards. And he couldn''t return to his nation empty-handed.


    Lee''s heart pounded faster and faster as he tried to make a quick decision.


    Could he escape, even if he tried? There were more than a hundred earthbenders gathered, and all of them were waiting for a chance to kill him since he had been their warden.


    Slipping past them might be possible.


    He could even try to escape by sea, but how would he evade a waterbender?


    On the other hand, they thought of him as a valuable hostage.


    They couldn''t kill him if he attempted to run away. And since there was a snitch around, they could take their anger out on him if they were caught.


    Lee walked over to the snitch and clasped his hand.


    He had already come up with a plan.


    "I''ll make sure to reward you handsomely. I''ll give you more money than last time," Lee declared.


    The plan was simple: get back to the prison rig, use the secret base''s messenger pigeons, and send an emergency report to the nearest base.


    He would then try his luck. At best, if he escaped or was rescued, he would be treated as a hero for sending an emergency report.


    The snitch didn''t smile at the mention of money.


    Lee asked, "What do you want, then?"


    "I want to leave as well," he said.


    "I''ll treat you as a citizen of the Fire Nation," Lee said with a smile. "But first, we''ll have to go to the prison rig. From there, we''ll take a ship."


    As if they could escape a master waterbender in a small boat.


    They might have a chance if they managed to drift on the water for six hours or more.


    But the Fire Nation was quite far, and it would take weeks to a month to reach it.


    So, the best course of action was to secretly send his report and then turn himself in.


    Lee and the snitch, whose name he had never bothered to learn, made their way to the prison rig on foot.


    Surprisingly, the earthbenders weren''t watching over the village.


    What a rookie mistake.


    One couldn''t expect rebels to establish an organized army on their first day of liberation. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The warden soon reached the metal bridge, and the heavy metallic scent of blood filled the air.


    He felt a pang of sadness for his men who had been attacked.


    He turned his head and his eyes widened.


    The bodies had been gathered and covered in bags, ready to be buried. It was common sense to bury your enemies or dispose of their bodies, as rotting corpses could spread disease.


    But because they hadn''t done so yet, the warden felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces.


    Even though half of the bodies belonged to Commander Shaw''s men, they were still soldiers who had served under him. For the two decades he had been a warden, they had lived together, eaten together, and trained together. To him, these soldiers were like his own children. He couldn''t help but feel a burning sensation in his eyes.


    He swore in his heart to do everything in his power to take down the waterbender.


    He entered the prison rig and walked to the top floor. He stood in front of a library, pulled a book, and triggered a mechanism. A secret chamber appeared.


    Pigeons in cages were eating their food as usual, their cages uncleaned. Only a select few knew about this chamber, which was meant for hiding and reporting.


    The warden grabbed a blank sheet of paper and began writing his report to the Fire Nation.


    He explained that a waterbender from the South Pole had come here to lead a rebellion and had succeeded in taking down the prison rig.


    "Also, add that the assumption that he is the Avatar is wrong," said a familiar voice. "He''s also planning to execute a few while keeping the rest as hostages. He''s planning to take down the rest of the bases, and we should chase him down. His name is Ryuk."


    Lee''s hands shook. He slowly turned his head to see the waterbender standing behind him.


    His heart skipped a beat.


    Then two beats.


    Then three.


    For ten seconds, he forgot how to breathe.


    He was on the verge of a heart attack.


    The waterbender had a bit of water swirling around his hand. He smiled warmly at Lee and placed his hand on Lee''s chest, using a healing technique that female waterbenders were known for.


    "Did I surprise you? Sorry. But don''t worry. I''ve got you. Your heart won''t skip beating for me¡ªunless you''re a girl," he said with a wide smile. "Now, continue working on the report."

 Chapter 31 - 31

    Having a level 10 Stealth Skill was surely handy. The poor warden didn''t notice me walking behind him and the snitch until they reached his secret room.


    A day earlier, the idea I had come up with was a simple one.


    Since there was a traitor who had sold out Haru, why not use him?


    I had grabbed him by the neck and threatened him.


    At first, he refused and grumbled, saying he had done what he had to do to survive and that he should be treated as a good citizen for following the law.


    When I threatened to make a law that would make him the first to be executed, he became submissive.


    But on the other hand, I was convinced that he should be the first one to face execution.


    One could forgive the soldiers of the Fire Nation since they were following orders. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But one could never forgive a traitor who sold out his own people.


    Use them while they''re useful, and dispose of them when they''re not.


    And that''s exactly what I did.


    The warden, lying in my arms as I healed his heart, turned his head.


    The old man with the bad leg had a bubble of ice covering his head.


    The warden looked at me with trembling eyes, as if begging to be allowed to die.


    But he couldn''t.


    He regained his breath and managed to speak his first words.


    "I don''t think of you as a valuable hostage," I said. "Your only role is to spread the information I want you to. If you don''t, I''ll torture you. Very simple, isn''t it?"


    The warden must have tortured many people in his life.


    Someone like him would know that he would eventually crack.


    "You know I can heal you when you''re on the brink of death," I said. "And I know mental exercises to keep you from losing your mind."


    "Fine," he said. "What do you want me to tell them?"


    "Just spread the truth. Make me the top priority," I said. "A man who fights for freedom."


    Not really. I was just fighting for my own freedom.


    "Don''t overpraise me, though," I added.


    -x-X-x-


    I was in my rented room.


    It was morning, and I had woken up in the middle of the day.


    The last couple of weeks had been exhausting. The past two days were especially draining. My hands were stained with blood, yet I felt no regret.


    By doing this, the people in the South Pole should be safe. The Avatar would come to this world anyway.


    The only thing I feared was the butterfly effect my existence might cause.


    For a hundred years, Aang had been frozen in the South Pole, where many waterbenders had lived and died, yet none could find him.


    It was only when Katara had an argument with Sokka that she accidentally cracked the iceberg holding Aang, reawakening the Avatar.


    What if such an argument never happened because of me?


    What if it happened in some other location?


    ''Let''s not think about the worst-case scenarios,'' I thought, sitting on my bed, cupping my face, and focusing on what was important.


    Cai, the cabbage guy, was urging me to find the men from the National Medical Association.


    It was the only thing that could bring me a genuine smile these days.


    Other than that, I had more things to consider.


    Although I had managed to save the South by directing attention toward myself, this village, which had gained its freedom, would soon face a real crisis.


    There were two possible paths for them.


    One, they needed to join the rebellion. Most of my tribesmen were there.


    But on the road, they would encounter soldiers and people allied with the Fire Nation. Not to mention, thanks to the report, the surrounding bases would be on high alert.


    I thought about it.


    I could level up my waterbending and lead the rebellion here.


    But that wouldn''t work. I was just one man.


    I looked at the ceiling. I wished someone as talented as Toph were here.


    Toph¡­ metalbending. That gave me an idea.


    According to the show, Haru was very talented and had learned earthbending on his own.


    I left the room and quickly walked downstairs.


    I thought that if I gave him insights into metalbending, he could learn it on his own. And if he could, he could teach the other earthbenders here how to do it.


    What gave the Fire Nation an advantage wasn''t their bending power¡ªit was their machinery and advanced weapons.


    I found Haru standing beside his mother, who could now walk thanks to my healing.


    "Ryuk, you''re awake already? Want to join us for lunch?" his mother greeted. "Though, in our case, it''s breakfast."


    "Not now, Auntie. Sorry, but can I borrow your son for a bit?" I walked over to Haru and wrapped my arm around his neck.


    "What''s going on with you?" he asked as I dragged him away.


    "Follow me to the backyard," I said, letting him go.


    He did as he was told. "If you''re talking about moving out, I can give you a discount."


    "That''s not it," I said.


    Once we were in the backyard, I grabbed a copper coin.


    I threw it at him, and he caught it.


    "What''s this about?" he asked, looking confused at the metallic coin.


    "Let me ask you something first," I said. "When you earthbend, do you get sensory feedback?"


    He tilted his head.


    "Like, do you feel the weight of the ground you''re moving?"


    "Now that you mention it, yes. I can feel what I''m bending."


    "Now, look at the coin," I said. "Inside it, there are earth particles. Try to feel them."


    He closed his eyes for a moment but then shook his head. "Nothing. What''s the point of this? You want me to bend metal through earth?"


    "Just keep trying," I said, thinking of a method to teach him how to bend.


    I remembered reading about an experiment in my previous life that had something to do with brain plasticity.


    Blind people, through patches on their skin and a camera, could learn to "see" through their skin. They could even recognize 3D space and react to it, despite never having seen before in their lives.


    The process, of course, would have to be gradual¡ªstarting small. The brain would adapt automatically. At first, their skin needed to adapt to the patch''s pressure. Then came the recognition of 2D patterns, followed by 3D ones, and eventually movements, actions, and reactions.


    "Better yet," I smiled, reaching an idea of how to teach him to sense like Toph.


    At the same time, I realized how I could learn to sense like Toph myself.

 Chapter 32 - 32

    (Side note: In typical weather, the amount of water in the air is about 8 milliliters per cubic meter. In a four-bedroom home, there''s roughly 1/3 of a liter. For a different unit of measure, it''s about a cup of water. A typical water barrel holds 100 to 200 liters.)


    "So, the idea is simple," I said. "You need to feel the weight of the earth you''re bending, then bend the smallest amount you can while focusing on sensing it. Gradually, decrease the amount. The most important thing is to do it consciously."


    It was a good idea to teach him how to feel the particles of earth.


    But it wouldn''t let him learn how to "see" through bending like Toph in a short time.


    It would, however, lay a solid foundation for him.


    And it would teach him what mattered most: sensing the earth particles, which would be the key to metalbending.


    That would give us an advantage against the Fire Nation''s machinery in the coming battles.


    They have tanks? We have metalbenders.


    They have a fleet of ships? We still have metalbenders.


    They have armor? Guess what¡ªwe may not have John Cena, but they won''t see the metalbenders coming.


    On the other hand, I decided to focus on my own training.


    I needed to learn how to sense better through water and, perhaps, use humidity.


    Did you know that a liter of water, when vaporized, can occupy a huge volume in the air?


    Just vaporize a cup of water and watch how your house fills with steam.


    That''s why using humidity to gather water isn''t a great idea. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But on the other hand, learning how to use the water in the air to sense surroundings is a good idea, since a small amount of water can occupy a large volume.


    "I get your idea," Haru said, stomping on the ground. A rock flew up from the ground.


    He extended his hands, and the rock floated between them.


    "But do you think metalbending is possible?" he asked.


    "Anything that has earth in it can be bent by an earthbender," I replied confidently. "You get metal from earth. Of course, it has earth in it. Even if it''s very pure, it still has earth particles in it. And as long as we keep this method a secret, no one will think of purifying the metal to the highest degree."


    "Man, if that logic works, then since we eat food made from earth, we have earth in us. Shouldn''t we be able to bend people? But no one has done something like that before," he said.


    "Just play along with me," I replied. "In the worst case, you''ll unlock dustbending."


    I paused for a moment, realizing that this conversation was quite thought-provoking.


    By learning dustbending, one could potentially bend explosive dust. I knew how to make explosive dust from my time in college. If that could be bent and spread in the air¡­ well, you know what I''m talking about¡ªtotal genocide.


    ''Let''s refrain from that idea for now,'' I thought to myself.


    "Yeah, and kill my enemies by making them cough¡­ That''s not a bad idea, though," he said, splitting the earth in his hand into smaller parts. He held three small rocks and played with them in his hand.


    "There''s definitely some weight to them. But if it''s smaller than this, I won''t feel a thing," he remarked.


    I chuckled and teased, "That''s what she said."


    Seeming to get what I was hinting at, Haru sent a few rocks my way. But I easily dodged them while still laughing.


    "That''s not funny, you dirty-minded bison," he sighed, frustrated. His insult only made it funnier.


    "It''s not like I made you say the words," I shrugged. "Anyway, forget about me. Keep doing that until you can feel the dust."


    "Whatever," he said, turning back to continue his training.


    On the other hand, I walked to a more secluded area where Lucy, the tiger, was sleeping. Next to her was a water barrel.


    I extended my hand forward. The water flowed out of the barrel and moved toward the nearest object.


    With my eyes closed, I tried to feel the water as it hit a nearby rock. I bent it around the rock, trying to sense its shape through waterbending.


    The system didn''t ring with experience gain notifications, as I had deactivated them. This training required focus, and it was the first step for me to develop an additional sense. I had this sense in the past, but it was the first time I was taking it seriously.


    Soon, I began to get a sense of the water''s shape, though no mental images formed yet. Still, it was progress. I tried to spread the water thinner, letting it flow over the grass and surrounding area.


    It was still hard to feel the shape of everything, but there was progress.


    After about half an hour, I felt a brain fog setting in and stopped, opening my eyes wide.


    I found Lucy standing in front of me, as if wondering what I was doing.


    "You hungry?" I asked.


    She shook her head.


    Since the system had created a mental connection between me and my pet, I could understand what she wanted.


    "Let''s play with the ice, then," I said. I bent the water back into the barrel, leaving enough to form an ice ball.


    I took a bending stance and made the ice ball float. The tiger cub tried to grab it with her claws but failed as I shifted its position. Her eyelids narrowed, and she started jumping after it.


    It was quite fun to take a break like this. It helped clear the brain fog I''d been feeling.


    After a few hours, I felt groggy and sleepy.


    Lucy also got tired and started wandering around.


    I checked the system to see if my relationship with my new pet had improved, and it had.


    [Lucy: +3 favoritism. (No longer fears you as much but is still cautious around you.)]


    It was now at 28 points.


    I sighed.


    Gaining the trust of a feral cat was a long process, but a rewarding one.


    Anyway, I thought about continuing my training, but there was that mental resistance.


    I remembered something.


    Brain fog is often caused by the accumulation of toxins in the brain during waking hours. When we sleep, our brain cells shrink, allowing these toxins to be cleared.


    Since I''m a waterbender and can heal, not to mention that my waterbending is at a decent level, why not try to clear the mental burden with waterbending?


    I went to the barrel, placed my hand in the water, and let a small amount circle in my palm. I placed it on my head and moved it around.


    After some time, I felt more awake, less sleepy, and could think more clearly.


    I grabbed the water and smelled it.


    Yes, the scent had changed to something unpleasant.


    If I fed this to someone, they''d feel groggy and experience brain fog.


    I shook my hand and threw the dirty water away.


    ''This cheat technique could allow me to train for longer. But to adapt faster, one still needs to sleep,'' I thought to myself before standing up and continuing. ''If I master self-healing through blood, I might never get tired again or even need to sleep. I might not even age.''


    Little did I know that I was right. Later that night, I couldn''t sleep for more than two hours but still felt incredibly refreshed. If I removed the toxins from my entire body, I might need less than an hour of sleep. It made me realize that I could speed up the training of metalbenders by healing their brains.


    Anyway, I continued my training, and my extra sense improved. I could thin the water and better sense the shapes around me. I could even roughly tell the texture of objects.


    To take my training a step further, I went to the sea and swam while trying to sense shapes more accurately.


    The plan was simple:


    Feel the shapes and learn to "see" through water.


    Thin the water as much as possible and try to sense through it.


    Use the water in the atmosphere to sense my surroundings.


    Most importantely, this method was giving me a lot of experience points for my level 11 waterbending.


    -x-X-x-


    Three days later, I checked on Haru, who could now bend dust particles easily. He was holding a metal coin with his eyes closed. As he moved his fingers, the coin floated and twisted into a new shape.


    "I''ve done it!" he roared. "I''m the first metalbender ever. And the first dustbender!"


    ''Who knows? Toph is likely 16 or 17 years old now,'' I thought. ''Who knows what she''s already bent? Also, there''s a whole desert full of sandbenders. So, I don''t think you''re the first in anything. But I won''t ruin your moment.''


    "Okay, you''re familiar with the process now," I said, smirking. I was proud to see him finish his training so quickly. He wasn''t as skilled as Toph, who could see through vibrations in the ground, but he had reached a level where he could sense the earth particles in metal and bend it. Dustbending was an extra skill that could be useful in the future if the Fire Nation wanted to play with explosions.


    "It''s all thanks to the head-healing water method," he said, nodding.


    I nodded. That healing water method after training was basically hacking the brain''s learning process. But if there was a real hacker here, it was me. Just by leveling up, I gained instant mastery over that level.


    "Yeah. All that''s left now is to teach the remaining earthbenders. I''ll leave that job to you, Haru," I said.


    "Haru! Ryuk! Get over here!" Tyro''s voice called out. He was Haru''s father.


    We turned our heads in the direction of the voice.


    "Dad? What''s going on?" Haru asked.


    "An envoy from the Fire Nation has arrived," he panted. "He says he wants to meet the leader."


    All eyes turned to me.

 Chapter 33 - 33

    "An envoy from the Fire Nation has arrived, and he wants to meet with the leader," I repeated after Tyro.


    Tyro nodded.


    Haru added, "It seems you''re considered the leader now."


    "We''re old folks," Tyro said. "Everyone has agreed that Sir Ryuk is the one who should face him and negotiate."


    "He''s a bit convincing," Haru nodded. "He managed to convince everyone to leave the prison easily."


    Seeing that I wasn''t in a hurry to meet the envoy, I turned to Tyro.


    "How is he? What impression is he giving?" I asked.


    "He''s quite cocky, acts angrily, and keeps glaring at everyone."


    "How is everyone else reacting to him?"


    "They''re refraining from taking their anger out on him," Tyro said. "It''s the law of war. You don''t kill envoys, or else you''ll be labeled a war criminal. It''s a law even the Fire Nation respects."


    "Sure," I said. "Let''s go and meet him, then. At the same time, Haru, I have a very important task for you." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What is it?" he asked.


    "Go outside the village and trace the envoy''s steps. I want to know if they''ve brought an army with them," I said.


    Tyro interjected, "It''s unlikely they could gather a large force in such a short time."


    "We don''t know," I replied. "It''s good to always check. Just in case, we should know whether to abide by their demands or prepare to escape."


    "Leave it to me," Haru said, thumping his chest.


    -x-X-x-


    "You''ve finally shown yourself," scoffed a man with Chinese features, yellowish skin, long hair tied in a braided ponytail, and a tall stature. He looked like a villain from a Chinese movie, the kind who masters eagle-style kung fu.


    I yawned, checking him out from head to toe. He was dressed in silky black clothes and wore expensive jewels.


    Behind him stood two bodyguards.


    "I was always here. It''s just you who''s blind," I replied. Since the envoy was rude with his facial expressions, I decided to match his tone.


    "Hmph. I can''t see how a mere small rebellion and prison break led you to act so arrogantly," he said, crossing his arms and looking me up and down.


    Just because envoys don''t often get killed, some of them act rudely.


    What could that possibly tell me?


    Did they have the upper hand? Did they think victory was guaranteed? Were they here to make outrageous demands?


    "You should probably see a physician for your eyes. Maybe some acupuncture would help you regain your sight," I said, walking up to the envoy and standing in front of him. "There may be an unwritten rule not to kill envoys, but I''m still an amateur, and I could be driven by my emotions. So, if you value your life, please refrain from using informal, rude language with me. We''re not buddies."


    The envoy clenched his teeth but didn''t say anything. I could tell he was pissed off. But he was here to do his job. If he wanted to make things personal with me, I''d get personal with him.


    "Fine. I''ll list my nation''s demands," he said, extending his hand to the left.


    One of the men behind him stepped forward and placed a scroll in his hand.


    The envoy opened it and began reading.


    "For the crimes of rebelling against the glorious Fire Nation. For the crime of taking over a village declared as property of the Fire Nation¡­ For the crime¡­"


    I almost fell asleep waiting for him to get to the point.


    "We demand the leaders of the rebellion to be executed publicly. And for each soldier killed, two earthbenders are to be executed. If their number isn''t sufficient, compensation will be taken from their families."


    The earthbenders who attended the meeting widened their eyes and exchanged glances.


    I could tell they felt fear¡ªnot for themselves, but for their families.


    The number of Fire Nation soldiers I alone had killed would be enough to execute everyone here. If you added the executions, then everyone''s family would be wiped out.


    "In case you don''t obey these commands, you''ll face the wrath of the Fire Nation army. The ground you walk on will be scorched by fire. Nothing will remain of your corpses except ashes, and you won''t even have anything left to bury."


    Soon, Haru approached me and whispered in my ear.


    ''Okay. So, they came alone,'' I thought. ''Three days to arrive here after the report. Three days to get back. A few more days to mobilize the army, which would take more than a week, considering their numbers and the need for rest and food.''


    ''I should have enough time to train more metalbenders, set traps, and, in the worst case, use dustbending. Thanks to my partying in my previous life, I know how to make explosive powder.''


    I crossed my arms and turned my head, laughing.


    The envoy, who had worn a cocky expression, frowned.


    "What''s so funny? Don''t you fear the death of your loved ones?" he asked.


    "Hahahaha!" I laughed loudly.


    Everyone fell silent, so my laughter echoed across the entire village.


    To begin with, I wasn''t fighting for a grand reason.


    Freedom might be a noble cause, but I was fighting for my own freedom¡ªand only my own.


    If I gave up my life, I would be giving up everything I''ve lived for.


    "What we have here are people who''ve lived 20 years of their lives in despair," I said. "Do you think we fear death?"


    I looked behind me.


    The earthbenders must have realized that whether they fought or not, their families would be executed anyway.


    If they fought, they might have a chance to save everyone. Some of them could learn metalbending. Some could learn dustbending. And I had more than 200,000 accumulated experience points ready to be used.


    "Do I take your refusal as your final answer?" the envoy frowned.


    "Don''t just take it. Shove it up your ass," I replied.

 Chapter 34 - 34

    After the envoy from the Fire Nation had left, I was left alone with the earthbenders and the villagers who had attended the meeting.


    As people gathered, I turned to Tyro.


    I asked, "Is there a reason why killing an envoy is frowned upon?"


    "Besides being labeled a war criminal, there''s a reason no one kills envoys. All-out war is something you want to avoid in the future. Moreover, if you kill every envoy, the enemy would feel justified in launching sneak attacks without facing criticism. Honor is something the Fire Nation values, so it''s better to use it against them."


    "Hmm¡­ Makes sense. We want them to warn us every time they send a unit," I said, rubbing my chin and nodding. "You''re wise, old man."


    "When you spend more than a decade in prison, you think about all sorts of things," he said with a smile.


    "Don''t dwell on it. Let me ask you," I said, "if you could go back in time, would you still escape the prison when I asked you to?"


    "Yes. Every single time, without hesitation," he replied firmly. "To spend time with my family after so long, I would kill every Fire Nation soldier."


    I pondered. I had been feeling quite guilty as well, since the villagers and the earthbenders were caught in a mess of my own creation.


    But knowing that they were following me of their own will made me feel less responsible.


    They weren''t so different from me¡ªI was doing this to save my home from facing a punishing army. Now, this village would face that same threat.


    A lot of people had gathered around us.


    They were talking among themselves, and the earthbenders who had joined us looked furious.


    "Now they''re angry. They won''t even spare the grass."


    "They''re going to kill all of us."


    "Shouldn''t we have just surrendered?"


    "And then what? With the number of soldiers we''ve killed, all of our families would be dead anyway."


    "It''s fine. We have time. If we gather our things and run away today, we can escape now."


    I looked at the villagers and the earthbenders. It was needless to say that all of them were worried. The fear of death was palpable.


    "Everyone!" I stomped my foot. "Attention! I''m going to speak!"


    They fell silent and glared at me.


    I continued calmly, "I know everyone is afraid, and I''m not blaming anyone. From now on, I will not take responsibility for anyone''s life or death. There are three large ships next to the prison rig, ready for you to escape by sea. The land is there for you to escape on foot. But what I want to remind you of is this: we can''t win a naval battle, and the Fire Nation''s fleet has numerous bases across the islands that we don''t know about. On land, they may have scouts and spies ready to catch you if you escape. And we know that for every soldier we''ve killed, they want two of us dead."


    I wasn''t going to give them a motivational talk. I was just stating facts.


    "Your chances of survival, if you escape, are much lower than if you stay."


    An old man stepped forward and voiced his opinion. "So, you''re saying that if we stay and fight, we''d have a chance to win? Do you know what weapons they have? Have you ever seen a tank in your life? Do you know their numbers? Not to mention, we don''t have enough benders to counter them. I''ve seen numerous battles during the Hundred Year War, and I can assure you, they are furious. No one can stand in their way!"


    Soon, the rest of the villagers nodded in agreement.


    "We do have a chance¡ªa very high one, practically¡ªbecause they love metal. Haru, get over here."


    When everyone turned their heads, Haru made his way through the crowd.


    I grabbed something I had prepared in advance: a leather bag from a lumberjack and a Fire Nation soldier''s armor.


    "Excuse me for a second," Haru said as he stood next to me. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I handed him the armor. "Show them."


    Stomping on the ground, Haru pointed his hands at the armor and clenched them.


    The armor squeezed and shrank, compressing on its own.


    The villagers were shocked.


    The earthbenders, however, were astonished.


    They had just witnessed metalbending¡ªsomething they never thought possible. Metal was something they had lived with, something that had taken their bending away and forced them to live as powerless prisoners.


    "Haru, bend the dust in the bag," I said politely.


    Haru moved his hands.


    Compared to bending metal, bending dust was lighter than bending water. The dust rose into the air and drifted a short distance. At that moment, I wished there was a firebender to show them what it could do.


    "Everyone, step back," I said. "And wait for me."


    I went into Haru''s house and soon returned with a candle in my hand.


    I threw the candle into the air.


    As soon as it made contact with the dust, a small explosion occurred. Since it was far away and the amount of wood dust was small, it was nothing major.


    "We can add a few things to mix with the dust to make the explosion more powerful. With these things filling the air, firebenders won''t be able to bend fire," I said loudly enough for everyone to hear. ''Some charcoal, sulfur¡ªwe have earthbenders to dig. Saltpeter should be found in caves. I didn''t want to resort to this, but if they send an army, it''s my best option.''


    Even in this world, it wasn''t a big secret that dust could explode.


    While some were shocked by the dustbending, others began sharing their ideas.


    "You know," Tyro said, "if you want to make an explosion, you can simply create friction. Charcoal or coal dust would help if you add it to the mix."


    The expressions on the people''s faces changed.


    A new element had been introduced: hope.


    I heard them speaking.


    "Metalbending? Is this possible?"


    "You''ve seen it with your own eyes. It''s possible for an earthbender to learn it."


    "I feel like an idiot for spending 17 years in the prison rig without knowing I could bend metal."


    "But most of us here are old. Can they learn it?"


    I raised my voice. "You will learn metalbending! If you don''t, you''ll master dustbending! I know a trick with waterbending to accelerate your training. So, please, for the next week, give it your all. Those who wish to leave, leave. But if you want to stay and defend your home, together, we have a chance. I, too, am a waterbender, and if I wanted, no one could catch me in the sea. But I''m staying here to fight for you. (Not really¡ªI''m taking responsibility for my actions.) So, fight with me."


    "Will you fight, or will you escape? Who wants to join me?" I looked at them, waiting for an answer.

 Chapter 35 - 35

    After my public speech¡ªmy first speech ever¡ªthe villagers were divided in half. Not everyone was suited for war. There were kids and old people, and the young ones weren''t very skilled at earthbending. In the end, half of the villagers left. The other half consisted of the earthbenders who stayed. They numbered about 100 at best. We also had a few dozen young men who decided to join. Despite the high risk, every earthbender was willing to join the war. I didn''t have the right to complain. If I were a weakling, I would have escaped too.


    On the other hand, I asked them to be escorted to the ships and to hold on. I didn''t want them to leave the village until the day before the clash. There was one simple reason for that: to maintain the element of surprise. I wanted to set a large trap for the firebenders and put them in a position where using their power would mean death.


    I started thinking that I had no choice but to create dust bombs. But before that, I needed to train the earthbenders. With the water healing method, I could remove the toxins from their brains, allowing them to rewire faster and preventing internal inflammation from obstructing their progress. I wanted them to sleep as little as possible and learn as quickly as they could.


    "So, do you think we can learn it before the war?" asked a 30-year-old earthbender.


    I was currently in a training yard. Haru was standing there, as if he were a military instructor.


    "I believe so," I said. "Haru here will teach you the method. In case you want to understand the principle behind it, it''s very simple. You bend the earth¡ªthe smallest amount you can while feeling it. Then, you make that amount smaller and smaller until you can feel the earth particles in a coin. Once you get that, you''ll move on to metalbending. Anyone who wants to give up will have to help me search for stuff in a river or cave. So, do your best now."


    "As you say," they responded.


    "Alright, enough talking," said Haru. "We''ve got a battle to prepare for." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The earthbenders followed Haru''s lead. They did as instructed. And I noticed something: some of them were more talented than I had anticipated. Or, should I say, they had more experience with earthbending despite being out of practice for 17 years.


    But they were still out of shape. About two hours later, I could see the earthbenders were getting groggy. If you spoke to them, they could barely structure a proper sentence. They noticed this themselves, too. Some even said the words they spoke didn''t match the ones they thought of.


    They grumbled and complained.


    I walked around them, with six tentacles wrapped around my shoulder. I placed water on their heads and used the healing skill. They closed their eyes, as if they were experiencing the most beautiful sensation in the world. You could hear grown men¡ªand some women¡ªmoaning.


    I was the only one cringing.


    But if I wanted to face the Fire Nation''s incoming army, I had to endure.


    ''Is this my punishment for killing all those men?'' I thought. ''This feels like hell, but not the worst hell one could possibly go through. I''d rather go full John Wick on the Fire Army. But I can''t do that in the morning.''


    One by one, I managed to restore them to their peak condition.


    "Okay, guys. Stop your training. Get some sleep. When you wake up, do it again," I instructed.


    Since I had been training my extra sense with this method, I knew they wouldn''t sleep much, but they would improve once they woke up. This was the best time-saving strategy.


    I also noticed that healing their bodies with waterbending was putting a heavy burden on me. Not mentally, but spiritually. How could I explain it? It''s the chi energy.


    I checked the system:


    [Waterbending -11 (60,000/120,000)]


    I was gaining a lot of experience in waterbending these days. It seems that fighting the firebenders, healing the earthbenders, and training my water sense were all paying off. At this rate, I might not need to use much of my accumulated experience. And even if I did, there was a nearby forest full of monsters. I also had a fast-riding pet, a large tiger, and the Fire Nation soldiers had left strange, lizard-like animals that walked on two legs and had high endurance.


    Not to mention, I had 230,000 experience points, ready to be used to upgrade any of my skills.


    But I decided to think carefully about it and not rush the decision.


    Moreover, I was quite tired. So, I took a nap alongside the earthbenders.


    After the nap, the earthbenders woke up refreshed. As for me, I found it hard to get out of bed in the leather tent. I was half-awake, and I could hear them talking.


    "It was quite a quick nap."


    "Yeah, I feel very refreshed. This water healing method is better than getting a massage."


    "Want a lady to massage you? I don''t know if they''re still open, but I know a town¡­"


    "Anyway, Ryuk seems to still be asleep."


    "Young people today are so lazy. No matter how energetic he is, this generation can''t keep up with the old ones."


    ''Bastards,'' I thought, but I couldn''t even stand up yet. The warmth of the bed kept pulling me in. ''You''re lucky I need you for the war.''


    I turned my head and found a water pouch. I hydrated myself and then found the energy to stand up. I left the camp and saw the earthbenders working hard on their training.


    I decided to change my strategy. Healing them like this would wear me out before it wore out the enemy.


    I clapped my hands to get their attention and gave them new instructions.


    Only half of them would train at a time. The other half would gather materials, and then they would switch.


    To my surprise, there were no complaints.


    I took around 50 earthbenders to a nearby forest with a river. We gathered wood and sulfur. Thanks to their earthbending, we were able to dig for materials and find plenty. We also ground them more easily.


    After finishing the material gathering, I returned to the training camp and healed the minds of those who were training. This time, I didn''t feel as tired or groggy as when I worked with 100 earthbenders at once.


    -x-X-x-


    For three days, I continued working hard for the war, barely getting any satisfying sleep. But we made good progress in material gathering and earthbender training. About five of them could bend a metal coin, and a few dozen could now control dust.


    But that still wasn''t enough. I needed them to become more proficient.


    By now, the Fire Nation envoy would have informed his superiors of my response, and they would be planning an attack.


    -x-X-x-


    By the fifth day, most of the earthbenders had shown great progress and could bend dust more easily. Around 60 of them could bend metal now. Even though the other 40 could only bend dust, they were still useful.


    Haru, on the other hand, had advanced quite well. His dustbending had improved, and he could create storm-like dust and even generate wind with it, similar to the sandbenders in the show.


    While giving the 40 earthbenders a quick healing, I received a notification:


    [Waterbending up to level 12 (0/200,000)]


    [+ Unlocking sub-skills:


    Steam Bending.


    Dehydration Hand.


    Bending with a Mind]


    [Congratulations. You''ve entered the Grandmaster realm as a starter.]

 Chapter 36 - 36

    After hearing the notification of my waterbending going up, it took me a while to process it.


    I had been working so hard this month, grinding and using my accumulated experience points.


    But apparently, there was something I hadn''t considered.


    Healing 50 earthbenders multiple times a day for days had the largest impact.


    I mean, when you think about it, even if I got about 100-150 experience points per person, by the end of the session, I would earn around 5,000-7,500 experience points. Do that a couple of times a day, and you wouldn''t even notice when you skip a level. Of course, a big part of this achievement is thanks to the firebenders and the operation of breaking the prisoners out.


    ''Man, it would be a good time to test the new skills,'' I thought. ''But I can''t do it in front of all these villagers.''


    ''On the other hand, I can work on my other skills.''


    ''But it''s been five days, so I should scout for the Fire Nation soldiers. Maybe I''ll go to the deadly forest and hunt some beasts while I''m at it,'' I thought.


    I walked over to Haru, who had been overseeing the others, and asked, "Haru, let''s have a word."


    "What''s the matter?" he asked.


    "I want to know about the approaching Fire Nation soldiers," I said.


    Over the last few days, the earthbenders and some young men had been scouting outside to watch for the approaching army.


    I doubted we had less than a week before the battle.


    But one can never be too careful.


    "They haven''t seen any army," he said. "And there''s no black cloud appearing in the atmosphere."


    Since the Fire Nation used coal and metal machines, there was a unique sign whenever they approached: black clouds would follow them.


    "That''s good," I said. "Since that''s the case, I''ll be heading out." I then put my fingers in my mouth and whistled.


    A large tiger, around 2.5 meters tall, came running toward me.


    This was Lucy, the pet I had tamed.


    Over the last two weeks, I had been taking care of her, feeding her and playing with her occasionally.


    Her favoritism points were now at 50. According to the system, she no longer feared me but still respected me and knew I was stronger. She was also dependent on me.


    I petted Lucy on the head.


    "Where are you going?" Haru asked.


    "I''m going to train my waterbending," I replied. "I''ve learned a few interesting tricks."


    "Why? Can''t you test them here?" he asked.


    "I can show you, but I want to know how to apply them in a real battle," I explained. That was only half the truth, though. The other half was that I could use them to gain more experience points.


    And there was a boss-level character in that deadly forest¡ªthe giant black centipede.


    Last time, I barely managed to damage its tail.


    This time, I would return stronger than ever.


    "I understand. But show me, please," he asked politely.


    "Why? After all that explanation?" I sighed.


    "Wanna know a secret?" he asked.


    "Sure," I replied curiously.


    "I won''t tell you," he said, crossing his arms.


    "That''s quite lame, you know?"


    "That''s how I felt when you said you have new tricks. I might not sleep tonight," he said, exaggerating.


    I sighed, realizing his point was valid. That feeling was quite annoying. Besides, he had been showing me every trick he had learned.


    "Okay," I said, looking around.


    There was a skill I wanted to test.


    First, freezing palm.


    Usually, it would take time to activate. The longer the distance, the more time it took. Now that I had leveled up with lots of experience points, it should have improved.


    ''It should take one second at this level with direct contact,'' I thought. I pointed my hand at some nearby grass. The water inside it started freezing.


    In a couple of seconds, the grass was completely frozen.


    "Does this work on humans?" he asked. "As long as they aren''t moving."


    "I''ve used it on humans before," I replied. But now I was different. With the level-up, my previous sub-skills had gotten stronger.


    "Here I thought dustbending was dangerous," he said.


    I waved my hand, melting the ice from the grass. I then touched it, using the dehydration palm skill.


    The grass withered, turning yellow. A small steam rose from it. I ground the grass between my fingers, turning it into powder.


    "You can take water out of people?" he asked.


    "I don''t know if I can," I said. "But if it''s like freezing, I''d need more time to train it."


    At any rate, if it worked on people¡ªeven if it took time to dehydrate them completely¡ªdoing it partially could flip the situation in my favor.


    After talking with Haru a bit more and instructing him to help the earthbenders¡ªnow metalbenders¡ªmaster what they had learned, I took Lucy and headed to the forest, where a 20-meter-long centipede awaited.


    Now, I wished it had kids. And preferably, parents.


    You know, kids would mean smaller giant centipedes, which could amount to a decent amount of experience.


    Parents would mean larger ones, which would definitely give me a lot of experience points.


    It took me less than an hour to travel on Lucy''s back. Despite her lower endurance, that would only be an issue if she went at max speed, which wasn''t necessary.


    While on the way, I thought about bloodbending.


    I had begun to reach grandmaster status in waterbending, to the point where I could now bend with my mind.


    But there was still no mention of bloodbending.


    It was the skill that would put me in a league of my own.


    ''Now that I think about it, even a genius like Katara or that old woman could only do it during a full moon. Amon and his family are a rare case¡­ Funny. Amon could bend a bunch of animals with his mind alone. Maybe it''s about Chi strength and waterbending mastery at the same time.''


    ''Or it could be that my path is different, and I''m meant for a unique style. After all, my freezing is so cold that it could kill people instantly.''


    As I dismounted, Lucy extended her tongue and panted. She was tired. I patted her on the back and said, "This is your home, isn''t it?"


    She looked at me as if she wanted to deny it.


    "Would you like to hunt?" I asked.


    She shook her head.


    She was still a young cub and hadn''t fully grown yet.


    I smiled, slapping her back. "Let''s take down a giraffe. You can eat it."


    Lucy turned her head. A 7-meter-tall giraffe was eating grass nearby. She seemed afraid of it, given its size.


    I summoned a water barrel. I drew some water from it and made it move. Bending it with my mind alone put a bit of a mental burden on me, but I was just a beginner grandmaster, so there was room for improvement. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The water moved next to the giraffe''s head, shifted its shape, and turned into an ice blade, slicing across the animal''s neck. I pointed my hand at the blood that started dripping.


    The area around the giraffe''s neck froze instantly. Its huge body collapsed to the ground.


    [Taking Down a Large Giraffe]


    [+700 EXP]


    It seemed that the ability to bend steam helped. Steam was in the air, and it created a connection with the water I bent, making it easier and faster to control things from a distance.


    The remaining giraffes nearby ran away.


    Lucy''s eyes widened. She jumped on the fresh meat and sank her fangs deep into it.


    ''If I gain enough experience, I''ll upgrade the storage. It might be a good way to stockpile food,'' I thought. ''If the Fire Nation realizes our trap and decides to lock us in the village, having extra food could help. But on the other hand, there''s the sea. I can use my bending to get food from there.''


    I smiled a bit, watching Lucy happily eating.


    I didn''t freeze the body, letting the scent of blood and meat spread¡ªa scent loved by insects.


    Lucy stopped eating and looked to the side with horror on her face.


    I turned my head. Between the large trees, I could hear a loud, unmistakable sound.


    A 20-meter-long centipede was making its way toward me.


    "Here we meet again," I said, waving my hand.

 Chapter 37 - 37

    I looked at the giant centipede.


    Despite its intimidating length, which could put any python to shame, it didn''t scare me as much as it had the first time.


    I thought I was getting used to this¡ªthe life of danger.


    It suited me more than my previous lifestyle, where all I did was work all morning, work out in the evening, and fall asleep exhausted.


    ''Man, this feels like a vacation compared to the coming war.''


    The water from the barrels swirled around my back, forming eight tentacles, each with its end sharpened into a blade.


    If the centipede had a brain larger than a normal insect''s, it should know I could freeze water. So, I thought of playing a trick by using the sharp ends as a distraction. Hiding your intent and striking when your opponent is off guard is always a good strategy.


    The centipede hissed¡ªI never knew they could hiss¡ªand began circling me, spinning around me with me at the center, effectively trapping me.


    ''Is it taking me more seriously than last time?''


    I thought this as it continued rolling around me at a very high speed.


    The moment I let my guard down, it would jump at me and take my life.


    I couldn''t escape in any direction either¡ªat least, not if you considered the space two-dimensional. But we still had the air above.


    The moment the centipede launched its attack, its head coming from behind, I channeled my Chi into my feet and jumped as high as I could, slamming the tentacles into the ground and using the surface force to push myself up. I found myself flying 20 meters into the air, and luckily, there were huge trees nearby.


    One of the tentacles extended easily, as if it were another limb of mine, and clung to a branch.


    Compared to planning for an upcoming battle, this felt like a stress reliever.


    Maybe because the system acknowledged me as a grandmaster, even as a beginner, it boosted my confidence.


    My pet, Lucy, felt fear and ran to hide.


    ''What a scaredy-cat,'' I thought. But I couldn''t blame her. She was only seven months old now.


    I tried to push myself toward the centipede''s center, but it quickly escaped, seeming to have learned from last time.


    I stomped, and two tentacles joined, turning into a water ball. As I pushed my hands forward, the water ball turned into a compressed stream. The centipede dodged, and I only managed to hit a few of its many legs. They froze, and as it moved, the legs cracked and broke apart. I guess when frozen and supporting a massive body like that, they were bound to break.


    "Okay, it learned how to counter my fighting style from last time. Smart," I muttered. "I wanted to play longer, but I need those experience points."


    I bent the remaining tentacles into a water ball, placing my palm on it. The water started turning into steam as I used my dehydration skill.


    [A skill has been discovered.]


    [Steaming: Boil water and turn it into steam.]


    [Because of the high level of the Freeze Skill and the high level of the Waterbending Skill, this skill requires half the amount of experience to level up until it catches up to the Freeze Skill.]


    ''Not now, annoying notification,'' I thought, my focus entirely on the white gas in front of me.


    The steam didn''t move randomly in the air, as I was controlling it.


    ''I need to concentrate it into one point so it can turn back into water.''


    The centipede couldn''t have known this new trick of mine. From its perspective, the water just vanished into thin air.


    It launched its massive body at me.


    The poor little fella didn''t realize I hadn''t lost my weapon. It charged into the hot, concentrated steam with endless vigor. The steam cooled down, soon turning into water that froze.


    Half of the centipede''s body was now covered in ice. Its lower half struggled to move.


    I jumped above it and landed on its back, placing my hand on it.


    Soon, every ounce of water in its huge body turned to ice.


    [Defeating 500-Year-Old Black King Centipede]


    [+100,000 EXP]


    I clenched my fist and raised it in victory. I thought I had done something epic, but unfortunately, no one was here to witness it.


    Anyway, I wasn''t here to brag but to gain experience points.


    Now, I had around 330,000 accumulated experience points that I could use.


    I pondered how to use them¡ªor if I should even use them at all. I mean, I could gain more. Frankly, I was quite hesitant and afraid of making the wrong choice. I understood that I could gain experience anytime, provided I traveled to places with dangerous beasts¡ªlike that valley the Avatar and the two tribes traveled through. But there was a war coming, and any wrong choice could cost me dearly.


    The problem was that I had too many good options.


    Stealth would let me sneak up on my foes at night and destroy a large portion of their army. The higher the level, the better my chances of going undetected.


    If I leveled up my Hunting skill and used my ice projectiles with waterbending, I could snipe a lot of enemies from a distance, taking them down more easily and safely.


    It goes without saying that waterbending is important.


    The same goes for Chi Bending, which has various effects, from strengthening my bending to enhancing my physical abilities. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Martial Arts¡­ that skill. I could afford to spend a bit of experience to level it up to a decent level since it wouldn''t get costly until level nine.


    [24,700 accumulated experience has been used.]


    [Martial Arts up to Level 9]


    [Lucy - Favoritism +20]


    I rubbed my ear, thinking I had heard an unrelated notification. I was planning to have a moment before saying, "I know Kung Fu," but I got confused for a second.


    Lucy jumped at me from nowhere and started licking my face.


    Looking at her, I realized she was terrified.


    She must have thought I had protected her from the centipede.


    Poor, naive fella. I patted her head.


    ''Well, as long as I''m grinding favoritism points, it''s good for me.''


    "Now, Lucy, stand up. Daddy has some thinking to do," I demanded, and Lucy stepped back.


    I sat down and said, "Lucy, since defensive wars are battles of endurance, preserving your bullets¡ªin my case, Chi energy¡ªis essential. Daddy can''t get tired, right?"


    The tiger tilted her head. Despite understanding me thanks to the system, she couldn''t grasp what I was saying without proper context. She went to the side and continued eating her giraffe.


    I also had the Steaming skill to focus on.


    [12,000 EXP has been used.]


    [Steaming up to Level 9]


    [40,000 EXP has been used.]


    [Chi Bending up to Level 11]


    [Skill Tree has been improved.]


    [You have gained mastery in Chi control.]


    [Energy waste is minimized.]


    [Can now use Chi to cover the body with a protective aura.]


    [Can now achieve a 100% boost in physical enhancements.]


    [30,000 EXP has been used.]


    [Freeze up to Level 11]


    I decided to review my stats and test the skills as they were.


    I focused on the centipede''s icy state and froze it again.


    The ice became colder, almost twice as cold as before.


    Then, I turned the ice back into water and used the Steaming skill on it.


    The last time I turned water into steam, it took a bit of time.


    This time, however, it turned to steam almost instantly. In a flash, a hot cloud of steam covered a large portion of the forest. I quickly cooled it down, and now, mist filled the air, which dissipated after some time.


    ''So, I have Freeze, which is overkill. And if I level up my Steaming skill, I''ll be able to burn my enemies. If I focus that steam on someone, I''m sure I could cook them.''


    Ignoring my growling stomach, which was starting to interfere with my judgment, I took a look at my stats.


    ---


    [*Skill Trees:


    Waterbending - 12


    Chi Bending - 11


    Martial Arts - 9


    *Skills:


    Hunting - 9


    Steaming - 9


    Fishing - 4


    Freeze - 11


    Stealth (Passive) - 10


    *Titles: (3/1)


    The Deadly Ice (Equipped)


    Shadow Lurker


    Beast Hunter


    *Accumulated Experience: 224,000]


    ---


    Okay. I had a decent amount of experience, and I felt much stronger than before.


    The war was only a few days away.


    And I could gain more experience points as long as I stayed in this forest.


    It might help me upgrade not only my skills but also my storage and the number of titles I could equip.


    By not upgrading my skills further, I could gain experience through practice, maximizing the benefits.


    I began hunting for beasts. The amount of experience they gave individually was small, but together, it added up to a considerable amount.


    After hunting a few packs of dog-like beasts, I ended up with an extra 26,000 experience points.


    Just as I was taking a break, a young man named Kamu from the village¡ªa non-bender¡ªcame to me.


    He was riding a fast mount, which explained how he got here so quickly.


    "Sir Ryuk," he called.


    I looked at him. "What''s the matter?"


    I was afraid he would say the Fire Nation had attacked, which wouldn''t make sense since we had scouted the area and hadn''t seen their army approaching.


    It''s not like an army can move faster than one person.


    "Ah, about that. Let me think for a moment," Kamu said, trying to recall.


    "Right. Two people are looking for you," he said.


    "Oh!" My eyes widened.

 Chapter 38 - 38

    "How do they look?" I asked.


    "A girl and a boy. Light tan. Blue eyes like yours. Matter of fact, you guys seem to be from of the same tribe." Kamu replied.


    I couldn''t help but widen my eyes when I heard that two people with the same racial features as me had come to see me.


    If that meant anything, it would mean Sokka and Katara.


    Given that Kamu didn''t mention if they were old, it likely meant they were around my age.


    If they came from the South Pole, there were only two people in mind: Sokka and Katara.


    Before I left, I had tasked them with actively looking for that bald monk. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since then, I had been quite busy¡ªchasing someone across the sea, grinding my levels, fighting for the prisoners, and planning for a war¡ªso I had lost track of time.


    I rubbed my temples, not taking the news very well.


    Usually, someone would be happy to learn that the people they grew up with had come to visit.


    But for me, it caused anxiety.


    There were two possibilities:


    One, they found Aang, and everyone could leave the mission of saving the world to him and relax.


    But the problem was that they came alone.


    It might be that these two came to look for me, and Aang was relaxing somewhere else.


    The second possibility: they didn''t find Aang, and because of the butterfly effect my existence had caused, he would remain trapped in the ice until fate decided otherwise.


    "At least it''s not the worst time for a visit," I muttered.


    The worst time, obviously, would be during an active war.


    Currently, I was riding Lucy, heading back to the village.


    It didn''t take me long to arrive at my destination.


    But I took extra time to bathe and change my clothes. I had been through some tough grinding and seriously needed to clean up.


    Soon, I found myself in front of the village.


    Walls had been built, and in front of them were deep holes. They were easy to construct since we had 100 earthbenders.


    The walls and holes wouldn''t hold back the Fire Nation army indefinitely, but they were meant to slow them down and give us breathing room.


    If we fought them in open space, we were as good as dead¡ªwhether we had metalbenders or explosive dust or not.


    The biggest advantage in a defensive battle was walls and location. That''s it.


    I bypassed the wall and found myself in the training ground.


    The earthbenders were gathered, talking. Some were training their dustbending, while others practiced metalbending.


    I walked in, forgetting that I had left Kamu behind since Lucy was too fast for his ride.


    Suddenly, my senses perked up. A smack landed on the back of my head. Instinctively, I rolled and grabbed the arm, throwing whoever tried to hit me to the ground.


    I was met by a familiar face.


    And luckily, it was a male''s face.


    "That''s how you say ''hello'' now?" Sokka groaned in pain. "Nice to see you healthy, Ryuk."


    I smiled slightly and extended my hand to help him up.


    Since we were the same age group¡ªme, him, and his sister¡ªwe had been somewhat close in the South Pole. Sokka and I used to fish a lot together, so I was glad to see him doing well.


    ''Would it be appropriate to ask him where his sister is? I mean, it''s not like she kissed me¡­ and I kissed back. He shouldn''t be surprised, though. I was the only boy in the South Pole who wasn''t her brother¡­''


    "What are you thinking about?" he asked.


    "Nothing. I''m just counting the time since I left the South Pole."


    "I see. You want to ask about that baldy. The spirits didn''t tell you?" he asked. I wasn''t sure if he was being sarcastic or suspicious of me lying. Even if he didn''t believe the excuse I made up for knowing the Avatar was in the South Pole, I had more credibility since I claimed the spirits gave me bending power.


    Anyway, given the way he was talking, it was obvious the Avatar was still sleeping somewhere else. I''d think about the consequences of that later.


    "Why? Want them to visit you and make you a bender too?" I asked.


    "That''s quite lame," he replied, taking my hand and standing up.


    "Speaking of benders, where''s Katara?" I asked, looking around.


    "She''s talking to the villagers," Sokka said. "Anyway, since when did you turn into a warlord? Was that your idea of causing a distraction and drawing attention?"


    Most of the villagers were near the port and weren''t allowed to leave because I didn''t want to expose my weapons and tactics. That''s why I spotted a brunette in blue attire talking to a middle-aged woman.


    "I didn''t think well at that time," I admitted.


    "You never think well," he said emotionally. "But thanks. You saved my sister and the whole tribe. That''s something I''ve overlooked because of the situation."


    "Yeah, I know. Though, that kiss was sudden," I sighed. That wasn''t unexpected. When you''re the only guy around who''s not her brother and you spend a few weeks learning bending together, someone''s bound to bend over.


    "I was going to talk about how Rakasha was contacting the Fire Nation soldiers to tell them about how we had a waterbender," he replied, his eyelids tightening.


    I turned my eyes slightly and looked at the sky. I think I had brought up the wrong topic with Sokka, who happened to be her brother and is also very protective.


    "The weather is nice today, isn''t it?" I said.


    "Don''t change the subject," he insisted.


    "The stars are beautiful," I commented.


    "It''s morning," he deadpanned.


    "The sun is just a big star," I explained. "In our home, you only see it for six months a year."


    "You''re unbelievable," he exhaled through clenched teeth. "Very well. What''s with this war I''m hearing you''re planning against the Fire Nation, and why the hell are only 100 benders and 33 non-benders excited for it?"


    I turned my head, seeing a few women working on grinding powder, which, when mixed, could create an explosion. Even a small amount was capable of blowing a human''s limbs in different directions.


    "Ryuk," I heard a feminine voice.


    Turning, I noticed Katara approaching.


    "Katara, long time no see," I greeted. "How''s everyone back there?"


    "They''re doing quite well," she replied. "Thanks to you showing me new tricks in waterbending, I was able to help Sokka provide enough food for over a year. The tribe can take care of themselves in the meantime."


    "That''s good to hear," I replied.


    "Anyway, what are you guys talking about?" she asked, looking between me and her brother.


    Sokka answered quietly, "The weather. Did you know the sun is just a big star?"


    "Why does that matter?" she tilted her head.


    "Nothing, really," I interjected.


    "So, what''s this about a coming war? What happened since you left the tribe?" she said. "Is there anything we can help with?"


    "That''s going to be a long story," I said. "But let''s have a recap."

 Chapter 39 - 39

    "Hold on. There''s no way you entered a prison rig with only a water barrel and defeated everyone!" Sokka remarked in astonishment.


    "If there''s a will, there''s a way," I said.


    To be fair, if not for the system, there''s no way I would have attempted that. I would have trained for years and years. Not everyone is like Katara, who, in canon, trained for a month and defeated a waterbending grandmaster who had trained for generations. Well, to be fair, if not for the system, I wouldn''t have gotten my waterbending power.


    "I have to agree with Sokka," Katara said. "I know you''re talented at waterbending, but there''s no way you could learn that much in such a short time. Even with a month of training, I barely developed your moves."


    "You developed them?" I asked. If I recall correctly, the waterbending I had shown her was around level 8 or 9 according to the system. If she could master all the moves and even improve them slightly in a month, then she''s good.


    "Can you show me?" I pointed at a water barrel nearby.


    "Sure," she said.


    She stood up, took a bending stance, and bent backward. The water flew from the barrel toward her. She rolled and spread her arms. The water took shape around her hands and expanded, the ends turning into ice masses.


    "I''ve improved the shape-shifting," she said. "Also, this." As she moved her hands, the shape of the water split into two, creating two tentacles from her hands, which she could control and use as whips.


    I clapped for her.


    That''s a very good improvement. She was just half a step away from being a master.


    I could spend time teaching her to help her achieve that faster.


    But the only problem was that I didn''t have the time to do that, nor was the current situation convenient.


    "That''s very good, actually. You''re not far from being a master," I praised.


    "How would you know how a master bends?" she asked.


    "I''ve been in this land for a month," I replied. "It''s easy to hear rumors about waterbenders."


    "Really?"


    "Yes," I replied. "I''ve also heard that there may be waterbending scrolls in the black market."


    "Anyway, forget about that," she said. "I want to see how you managed to beat those guys."


    "Well, I''m a bit tired since I''ve been hunting," I replied. "But in any case, this should be enough."


    I waved my hand. The water left her hands and stuck to mine. I placed my hand on my back, creating three tentacles on my right side.


    "This is just it," I said. The tentacles moved and wrapped around Sokka. One of them entered his mouth. I know it''s a dirty move, but it''s quite amusing for me.


    Sokka gagged a bit.


    "How in the¡­" Katara''s lips trembled. "You didn''t even make a bending stance or move."


    "It''s just that you have to do so until it becomes easy," I replied.


    "But it hasn''t even been a month," she said, astonished.


    The water tentacles fell to the ground.


    Seeing her looking down at her feet, I ignored Sokka''s coughs and patted Katara on the back.


    "What''s the matter?" I asked.


    "I''m really happy that you''ve advanced," she said. "It''s just¡­ I feel like my talent in waterbending isn''t something special. I feel like trash."


    Hold on a second. Did I just make the most talented waterbender in the original show think of herself as untalented? I mean, she learned what I learned with the system and managed to improve it on her own, without having to go through crazy battles or hunt like a madman like I did.


    "And why is that?" I asked.


    "I''ve been a bender since I was little," she sighed deeply. "But I''ve never managed to reach the level you''ve reached, despite trying to discover tricks for years. Yet, here you are, and in just a few months, you''re like this. What does that make me? But honestly, I''m happy for you and for myself. There''s a man I can rely on."


    "Sure," I replied, not knowing if she was flirting or venting her feelings. Let''s try flirting back while encouraging her at the same time. "But I also need a woman to rely on."


    She looked at me, her eyes sparkling.


    "But I''m not that good," she replied.


    "Nah, I just had a trick to help me," I said, grabbing her hand. "There''s something that can help you with your bending. If you learn it, you can not only help yourself but also your brother and everyone in this village."


    Sokka looked at me with wide eyes.


    I mean, I would have the same reaction if someone flirted with my sister in front of me.


    "What is it?" she asked.


    "It''s called healing with waterbending," I said, taking my hand from hers. I used one of the tentacles to create a small cut on my palm. Blood flowed out.


    "Ryuk, are you crazy? You could cut a vein and die!" Katara scolded.


    The water from the tentacle swept over my hand, and the wound vanished.


    "What did you do?" Sokka asked, taking my hand and examining it.


    "It''s called healing," I said. "I''ve heard rumors that women in the North Pole are used as healers. So, I tried channeling my Chi through water, and ta-da!"


    "Wow," Katara replied excitedly. "But how does that help you learn bending?"


    "I''ll explain later," I said. "For now, focus on learning it." I then grabbed Sokka and smacked him on the back. "What would a little sister do without her good old brother?"


    It was another way of saying that he had just become a test object, a grinding stone for her to hone her skills.


    "Hey! I never sa¡ª" Sokka was about to object but paused when he saw Katara''s eyes lighting up as she looked at him.


    "I understand," I replied. "You couldn''t help her in the South Pole because you couldn''t. But even now, you wouldn''t. It''s not like you didn''t want to from the beginning, right?"


    Sokka sighed heavily. "Fine. But be gentle."


    "I''m sure she''ll learn it in no time," I said, patting him on the back. "For now, guys, it''s about to be nighttime."


    Katara held Sokka''s arm and dragged him away.


    I dispelled the water from my back and returned it to the nearby barrel. I felt sorry if anyone attempted to drink that water, as someone had already gagged on it. In fact, it felt like a hideous thing to do. So, I lifted the barrel and went to hide it in storage so I could use it in a fight later.


    -x-X-x-


    By the next day, most everyone had learned how to dustbend and metalbend. When it came to dustbending, their movements didn''t seem amateurish. Some could create a joint tornado with dust alone and generate winds. Others could shapeshift with metalbending. Haru was the most advanced in that aspect.


    I had a good army.


    On the other side, Sokka was quite lucky. His sister mastered healing the first time she tried it. When she learned that the new metal and dustbenders used water to heal their brains to learn faster, her morale shot up, thinking I had used this trick to get better.


    Well, she wasn''t entirely wrong. I had used this trick in the recent past to train my aqua sense, which I had postponed to train the metalbenders and search for explosive materials in nature.


    But thanks to Katara sharing the burden of healing the earthbenders with me, we could do the job faster and with less exhaustion.


    In these harsh times, there was one person who could be called happy.


    Sokka, who had lived most of his life in the South Pole, saw a girl around his age among the villagers. He couldn''t help but flirt with her.


    I couldn''t blame him, though. He had started to see women who weren''t his sister, mother, aunt, or either too old to be taken to war or too young.


    Man, I''m glad he left the South Pole. Otherwise, he might have developed a taste for either too young or too old people.


    On the other hand, I was spared from such a miserable fate.


    For a couple of days, things continued peacefully.


    I spent more time with Katara, who started applying my trick on herself.


    At night, we would meet and talk about home, sometimes about the continent here, and I would tell her about the forest and my adventures training against large beasts. She didn''t believe me at first until she saw Lucy, the large, growing tiger.


    Lucy had shown hostility toward Katara at first and tried to bite her hand when she placed it on mine. But I managed to control Lucy and told her not to attack her "mommy." Seeing that, Katara didn''t seem traumatized, but she blushed slightly.


    Now, it was morning, and I was watching over the camp.


    "So, Ryuk," Katara, who was talking to me, suddenly spoke. "What are we?"


    "What?" I turned to her, my heart skipping a beat. ''We are humans, not dinosaurs,'' I thought. ''That''s what a typical shonen anime character would say. She''s asking me if we''re just friends, dating, or not. But Katara, you know, there''s a war going on.''


    One doesn''t know if they''ll live to see tomorrow, and here she is, thinking romantically.


    But on the other hand, I couldn''t blame her.


    Back in my home world, in many countries suffering from bombardment, famine, war, and rising pollution, the human breeding instinct was stronger than anything.


    "I mean, us," she said, looking firmly into my eyes.


    "You know," I said, "if you''re thinking about dating and all that, we can leave it for after the war or when this passes."


    "Great," she said, smiling nervously. "So, once this is over, we''re in." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Everyone!"


    Suddenly, a man riding a lizard-like creature screamed.


    When I turned to him, I saw him dismounting while panting loudly.


    A few earthbenders went to help him.


    It seemed he had run all the way here from his post without taking a break. Well, his ride had run, but for him to pant like that, it seemed there was something else besides exhaustion.


    "I''ve¡­ I''ve spotted the Fire Nation forces. They¡­ they''re in the thousands. Tanks, drums, rides¡ªeverything!"

 Chapter 40 - 40

    The news of an approaching army of thousands shook the village.


    Thousands.


    What did that number mean? A complete disaster.


    I walked over to the scout.


    "What did you do first when you saw them?" I grabbed him by the shoulders and asked.


    "I turned and ran away," he said.


    "How the hell did you know they were in the thousands?" I yelled.


    The villagers and earthbenders, whose numbers didn''t even reach two hundred, were looking at the ground, their faces sweating.


    "I¡­ I saw them covering the horizon, so I assumed the number," he said.


    The villagers'' faces lit up temporarily.


    "But they are above a thousand," he added. "For certain."


    It seemed my soldiers'' morale was quite low.


    Well, mine was a bit low too, and I was feeling a bit of fear.


    No matter how talented your army is, they wouldn''t be as strong as the Avatar.


    Thousands was also a big number.


    I needed to raise the morale of my men¡ªand women¡ªa bit.


    I walked to the center and yelled, "Everyone!"


    They turned their attention to me.


    "We''ve been preparing for this for so long," I said. "The firebenders and their soldiers will taste a battlefield where they can''t bend. They will be crushed and burned by their own fire. Their armor will be their graves. Their tanks will be what crushes them.


    "Aren''t you excited to crush them?"


    There was a moment of silence.


    But soon, I got an answer.


    "Yeah!"


    "We''ve been training for so long!"


    "I''m excited to see them. With the strategy we have, even if they were tens of thousands, they wouldn''t stand a chance."


    "Let''s fight them!"


    I clapped my hands and said, "Okay, okay. For now, let''s not get too excited. Let''s activate the traps."


    "Yes. Right. The plan."


    The villagers started becoming active, following the strategy I had discussed with them.


    They took the explosive powder we had been making and went outside the walls.


    ''Come on,'' I thought. ''It''s not time to fall back.''


    As everyone started working, I decided it was time for me to preserve my energy.


    I needed to rest well and then spend my energy wisely on the day of the battle.


    For the last few days, since Katara had arrived, I hadn''t spent my experience points and had been focusing on training the earthbenders.


    Now that everything was complete, I needed to conserve as much energy as possible.


    I wasn''t in a hurry to use my points.


    But for certain, I needed one thing.


    [Titles slots have been upgraded to 2]


    [50,000 accumulated experience has been used]


    [For the next upgrade, 100,000 experience points are required]


    ''What a generous system,'' I thought. ''It wants me to turn into a mass murderer.''


    I sighed and left for my tent.


    I grabbed a bottle of expensive alcohol or wine bottles that I had stolen from the commander''s chamber on the ship.


    I poured myself a drink and started drinking.


    -x-X-x-


    "Ryuk, can I come in?" Katara''s voice called.


    Before I could even give her permission, she entered.


    "Sure," I said, looking at her blue eyes as she scanned me.


    "You''ve managed to convince a few hundred people to stand against a large army," she said. "I want to know how you have so much courage."


    "The real question should be, why?"


    "Why?" she asked curiously.


    "You''ll have to wait a couple of days first," I said teasingly.


    "What''s the point of suspense? It''s not a children''s story that Grandma tells to pass the time," she replied, frustrated.


    "Do you really want to talk about the war now?" I asked.


    She shook her head. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I wanted to check if you''re okay," she said. "You''ve gotten a bit pale."


    I smiled and looked at my hand, which was quite white now.


    ''Seems I can''t say "escape" in Japanese during this war.''


    Katara held my hand and sat beside me.


    I looked at her for some time.


    Both of us were adults, and we were in a tent.


    During times like this, cortisol, the stress hormone, takes over the body. You know, it makes one lose sense and do whatever they can to relax.


    There was one thing I could think of as I looked at her blue eyes, full lips, and exposed neck.


    "Wanna relax a bit?" she asked.


    "Definitely," I said, shaking the bottle of alcohol in my other hand. "Wanna try?"


    "What is it? Fruit juice?" she mused.


    "Alcohol. We don''t have it in the South Pole, but it''s quite good," I said. "Well, not that good the next day. And weed is better."


    "Like seaweed? What''s weed?" she asked.


    "No. It''s just good stuff," I said, taking a gulp from the bottle and passing it to her. She took a big swig at once.


    "It''s quite acidic, and bitter." she commented, exhaling loudly. "But what''s the fruit?"


    "I guess it''s grape wine. It''s quite tasty." I replied.


    "Sure?" she nodded and drank a few more gulps before passing it back to me.


    "So, earlier," I said as I wiped the corner of her lip with my finger, "when you asked me if I wanted to relax, what did you mean by that?"


    "I meant what I meant," she said. "The last time I was nervous¡ªwhen Rakasha, or when I thought she would snitch on me¡ªI kissed you."


    "Did it help you relax?" I asked curiously. Katara, or women from this world in general, were quite different from those in my previous life. They didn''t go through high school drama or anything. Not to mention, we grew up in quite an isolated place. So, I was a bit curious about her perspective.


    "Well, it felt like I could leave without regret if I did the things I wanted to do," she commented, looking into my eyes and then at my lips.


    I got the signal and responded.


    Also, if you think about it, we weren''t used to drinking. Things got out of the usual routine. Her cheeks were already getting rosy.


    "Well, one may leave after two days," I said, grabbing her chin with my fingers and slowly approaching her.


    I kissed her for some time. Her response became more aggressive as she kissed back.


    I didn''t know what came over me, but I responded with more aggression, pushing her back and moving my lips from her mouth to her neck. There was a small moan that escaped her lips each time I sucked on her neck, which meant it was her sensitive spot.


    "Ryuk, what if someone comes in?" she said, panting slightly.


    "Oh¡­ we''ll bend it out," I replied, not really knowing what I was saying.


    "I mean¡­"


    "Well, everyone''s too busy. You''re afraid your brother might come in."


    "That would be traumatizing."


    "Don''t worry. I saw him going to comfort some village girl," I said. "No one''s coming in."


    "It''s my first time," she said. "Can you be, you know, gentle?"


    "How did you know you need to be gentle?"


    "Can''t tell you. Girls talk," she said, hugging me, her lips landing on mine.


    I pushed her onto her back and got on top of her, grinding something else other than my levels for the first time.


    -x-X-x-


    We all make mistakes.


    Some are big. Some are small. And some make you discover a new type of bending to deal with the big mistakes you make when you get drunk.


    I looked at the notification I had received a day and a half ago.


    [You''ve discovered Cum-bending]


    [+3,000 EXP]


    I had never known the system could play jokes.


    I was standing at the top of the wall, looking at the huge artificial black cloud covering the sky. On the ground, an army was marching.

 Chapter 41 - 41

    I was standing at the top of the wall, looking at the huge artificial black cloud that covered the sky. On the ground, an army was marching. The sound of drums echoed in the air. The earthbenders, who stood by my side, were excited, but their reactions varied. Following the steady beat of the drums was their unsteady heartbeat, thundering in their ears. Some had sweaty faces and looks that were unsure of victory.


    I had to show an image of a leader so they wouldn''t feel fear.


    "Okay."


    I took a step forward and stood on the edge of the wall, which was about 10 meters high, made of rocks that had been bent into a neat shape.


    "They''ll be here soon to talk with us," I said. "But on my signal, you''ll follow the plan."


    "Yes, captain."


    "Yes, commander."


    "Yes, sir."


    Since I was a temporary leader, the earthbenders hadn''t yet accepted my military rank.


    "We''re not soldiers to talk like this," I assured them. "We''re brothers."


    "Aw, that''s cute," said an old woman, earning chuckles from the men around her.


    The longer the time passed, the clearer the image of the approaching army became.


    They were now about forty to fifty meters from the village.


    The fire soldiers, all dressed uniformly, covered the horizon.


    I couldn''t count how many men were behind them.


    But among them were many tanks.


    There were even a few bands playing drums here and there.


    From what I saw, it didn''t seem like they were here for a war.


    More likely, they were here for an assured victory¡ªa total massacre.


    "Ryuk!"


    A man with long silky hair tied in a ponytail stepped forward and shouted.


    The sound of the drums stopped.


    "Yes," I replied calmly. I assumed they knew my name, as I had made the warden mention it in his report.


    "Before I massacre everything you fought for, I want to know," he said, "What gave you the courage to challenge our glorious nation and start a rebellion?"


    "The pussy of your mother," I replied.


    I hoped Katara wouldn''t take my taunt seriously.


    "I see. You''re as rude as the envoy has said you are," he said. "Be prepared to pay for your crimes. In your next life, remember not to cross the line with the Fire Nation."


    I raised my hand and waved it down.


    Around six earthbenders took a step forward.


    They moved their hands and thrust forward. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Next to their feet was ordinary dirt dust, which soon turned into six tornadoes that flew in different directions.


    The fire soldiers covered their eyes.


    Some of them laughed.


    "He''s seriously trying to kill us with dust?"


    "Motherfucker. Is he trying to get us dirty? The barbarians don''t know we can take showers easily."


    The dust tornadoes weren''t meant to hit them.


    Before the fire soldiers arrived, I had instructed my earthbenders to pour explosive powder¡ªmade from sulfur, saltpeter, charcoal, and wood dust¡ªinto various spots.


    Thanks to the wind generated by the dust tornadoes, the explosive powder was stirred up, and its particles flew through the air, filling it.


    The army behind the front lines started to notice the strange dust and its odd smell.


    "Are they trying to choke us to death?"


    "So insolent."


    The soldiers wearing masks didn''t seem to be affected.


    The one who appeared to be the commander said, "Those who aren''t wearing masks, put them on. If you''ve forgotten yours, cover your face with a towel."


    They did as instructed and covered their faces.


    At this distance, there was no way for my earthbenders to ignite the powder.


    But I had already come up with a solution.


    Many solutions, actually.


    I extended my hand to the left.


    Haru handed me a bottle of alcohol with a towel in it. I grabbed a lighter and ignited the fire at the other end of the towel.


    Thanks to GTA, I''d learned many things.


    I used my chi bending to boost my power, then got into a throwing position.


    I threw the alcohol bottle high into the air.


    Just as it was about to contact the dust, someone attacked it with rock, making it explode in the air.


    "What idiots, trying to fight firebenders with fire."


    ''Okay, plan B.''


    I thought.


    A water bottle on my waist transformed into an ice spear, which I threw at the commander.


    The commander took a bending stance and tried to shoot a fire beam at me.


    BOOM


    BOOM


    Just so you know, the dust tornado didn''t make all of the dust fly, and there were still traps hidden.


    But dust explosions have a unique mechanism.


    First, if you ignite a small fire, it spreads and creates a small shockwave. This causes more dust to spread, and that dust explodes on its own, creating a bigger shockwave and a bigger explosion, and it continue.


    But I didn''t just use normal dust; I used explosive dust.


    A very loud sound, similar to that of a shotgun but hundreds of times louder, erupted.


    The firebenders caught in the middle of the dust were hit.


    A bright light covered my vision.


    Not only that, but more explosions could be heard from the hidden traps.


    [You are eligible for shared experience since you threw a spear]


    [Calculating¡­]


    The earthbenders and I, out of fear, covered ourselves and ducked behind the wall.


    Once the explosions stopped, we slowly stood up.


    The smell of fireworks filled the air, and so did white smoke.


    "Is everyone alright?" I yelled, but I barely heard my own words. My ears were ringing, and I could only depend on my sight.


    I saw the earthbenders looking healthy and fine. They, too, stood up.


    We looked at the battlefield, and let me tell you¡­


    It was nasty.


    And by nasty, I didn''t just mean dead bodies lying on the ground.


    There were barely any dead bodies here.


    Some limbs had been scattered.


    I looked toward the horizon.


    The only survivors from this army were the people in the back lines who hadn''t reached here yet.


    And they numbered fewer than a thousand.


    ''One, two, three¡­'' I counted the people in lines, then columns.


    This method wasn''t very accurate, but it gave me an approximate number.


    ''Surviving soldiers. Around 400,'' I thought to myself.


    [You have earned a title: Warlord]


    [Warlord: Allows you to gain a share of experience in wars through the hands of your followers, as long as you issue the command.]


    ''A share of the experience. Meaning I get less if I don''t do things alone. Shit. Quickly,'' I thought. If I get a share of the experience with the title, then how much would I get without it?


    [Title has been equipped.]


    [Recalculating the casualties using the title¡­]


    [The system has completed the count.]


    [3,600 soldiers, including firebenders of mixed ranks, have been defeated.]


    [Do you want to show the details?]


    ''Fuck it. Just show me the experience.''


    I waved my hand in the air, swiping the screen.


    [You''ve gained 500,000 experience points.]


    ''What?!'' I opened my eyes wide.

 Chapter 42 - 42

    500,000 experience points. That was too much to process at once, even for me.


    It was like a full month of grinding.


    But on the other hand, we had trapped a lot of enemies in the explosion.


    I had just received a share of the experience points, even though the earthbenders didn''t.


    I guess it was because I had a partial hand in the job, and thanks to the title, I got this reward.


    Had I killed or defeated all those soldiers on my own, I would have been entitled to between 2 million and 4 million experience points.


    ''So, that''s the power of hunting thousands,'' I thought to myself while waiting for my ears to stop ringing. ''I''ll make sure to clean up areas with dangerous beasts.''


    I thought about going down and defeating the remaining firebenders.


    But come on.


    That''s a feat only someone like Madara Uchiha or the Avatar could pull off.


    I wasn''t a one-man army.


    And the idea of me going down there and fighting all those soldiers while having blind spots was ridiculous.


    If I had bloodbending, I might have been able to pull it off.


    ''Wait a second. Cum-bending is a sub-bending of waterbending. I might be able to twist their balls easily,'' I thought. ''But I''d rather not take a stupid risk and die stupidly. Not until I spend the experience points I''ve earned, which I''ll save for later, after taking down the remaining enemies.''


    The ringing in my ears calmed down, and I could hear more clearly now.


    The earthbenders were in the same state.


    They looked over the top of the wall, excitement taking over their faces.


    "We''ve taken down the army!"


    "The Fire Nation soldiers didn''t stand a chance!"


    "It''s an assured victory. We should attack them now."


    "Yes! Let''s jump over and finish them off!"


    I raised my hand and ordered, "No one moves until I say otherwise!"


    "Huh? Why wouldn''t we move?" A middle-aged man, quite large, grabbed me by the shoulder and said, "We have to strike now while they''re weak and shocked. With metalbending, taking them down would be child''s play."


    I grabbed him by the shoulder and pressed. "You idiot. What we have here are people who spent years in jail without proper physical activity. By the time you reach the back lines of the Fire Nation army, you''ll be exhausted. Even if you win, you''ll die."


    "But¡ª"


    "I''m trying to preserve as many lives as possible," I said. "You can go alone or take those who support you, grab some dust, and try your luck. But I don''t think the same trick will work twice. The moment you throw dust at them, they''ll ignite it, and you''ll kill yourself along with your enemies. Do you want to die?"


    "But we can win with metalbending!" he objected.


    "Let them approach first," I said, pushing him back into the line.


    I looked into the eyes of the earthbenders, who were excited but also deeply pondering and reflecting on my words.


    I was being completely honest. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This war had happened because of me, and since I didn''t want them to lose their lives, I had taken responsibility for saving them. I had saved my people by shifting the Fire Nation''s attention to this village, and now I was saving them again.


    "For now, we will wait!" I ordered. "This is an order!"


    I turned my head.


    There was a reason I was confident they would attack.


    The Fire Nation soldiers had taken many days to arrive here.


    If they wanted to retreat, it would take just as long.


    If they turned their backs to us, we could still attack them, and they knew it.


    On the other hand, explosive materials weren''t something new to this world. They knew we were out of ammo.


    And from the explosion that had just happened, although a few tanks had been destroyed, they still had a high chance of surviving such an attack.


    So, if my guess was right, they would send the tanks now.


    They still had a numerical advantage and could easily defeat 100 earthbenders. I believed they had the statistics on the prisoners and knew how many earthbenders we had.


    With 400 or so soldiers, they had a high chance of killing the earthbenders.


    First, they''d crack the wall with their tanks, then kill us.


    At worst, they''d approach and hold the wall, trying to starve us out or wait for backup while preventing us from setting more traps.


    And then, our trump card would be played.


    "That''s¡­" Haru, who was standing next to me, said, "horrifying. There''s barely a recognizable corpse among the enemy."


    "Do you remember what the envoy said?" I asked, trying to remind him of what would have happened to us.


    "Yes. Everyone would die, and they wouldn''t spare anyone if we didn''t give up our lives," he said. "But do you think they''ll just turn and run away?"


    "Just because they''re our enemies doesn''t mean they''re not human," I replied. "And I don''t mean that in a good way. Humans are cruel, emotional creatures. They''ll take time to reorganize themselves and attack us."


    "You seem quite confident," he mused.


    "They don''t have another choice," I replied. "Unless I''m too stupid to see the bigger picture, they have no option but to attack. If they expose their backs to us, we''ll chase them and unleash dust tornadoes on them."


    Since the earthbenders could control earth particles, they could ignite the dust from a distance.


    You might be wondering why I didn''t let them ignite it earlier and instead wasted an alcohol bottle with an ice spear.


    I could give you 500,000 reasons for that.


    "Oh, it seems you''re right," Haru commented.


    "They''re sending the tanks first," Tyro pointed forward. "Is this the time for the metalbenders to shine?"


    "Wait," I said, looking down as they approached. After the tanks came within 50 meters, they paused for a moment. We didn''t do anything.


    Another 400 or so soldiers advanced.


    A few of them tried to shoot fire blasts, which hit the wall.


    "They''re out of bombs!"


    "Dirty earthbenders! Be prepared to pay for your tricks!"


    I smiled. The water from the nearby barrels floated up and landed on my back, forming tentacles.


    "Everyone!" I shouted. "It''s time for a face-to-face battle! Crush them!"

 Chapter 43 - 43

    [200,000 experience points have been used]


    [Waterbending up to Level 13]


    [Skill Tree has been upgraded]


    [You are now a fully-fledged Grandmaster Waterbender.]


    [Aqua Sense has been perfected]


    [300,000 experience points have been used]


    [Waterbending up to Level 14]


    [You are now a Great Grandmaster]


    [You have achieved the level of Great-Great Grandmaster]


    [Bending with the mind has been upgraded.]


    [Can now use humidity to sense surroundings.]


    [+ Skills: ¡­]


    [Water Telekinesis has been acquired]


    Like any successful capitalist entrepreneur, I used the acquired experience points to upgrade my waterbending.


    But man, I almost felt like my head was about to snap off my neck. The information overload and the new muscle memory were overwhelming.


    As the earthbenders jumped from the wall, the water tentacles moved in front of me. They no longer felt like water I was bending¡ªthey felt like extensions of my body.


    Thanks to my Aqua Sense, they felt like limbs. And thanks to telekinesis, I could control them like limbs. In fact, I could reshape them like limbs.


    The ends of the eight tentacles turned into hands with five fingers, and I could clench them.


    This was a whole new level of waterbending mastery.


    I jumped off the wall, using the water to slide down and lessen the impact of my fall.


    It was enough to land without breaking or cracking a bone.


    I looked at the soldiers, their eyes red.


    I guess they had been crying while charging at us.


    A few firebenders took their stances and aimed a combined fire stream at me.


    One of the tentacles turned into steam.


    You know, a liter of water, when turned into steam, can occupy a much larger space.


    The tentacle collided with the fire, and since it was steam¡ªwhich is wet¡ªit absorbed the fire easily.


    The steam didn''t stop until it covered a few firebenders.


    They had heat tolerance, that''s for sure.


    But cooking them wasn''t my goal.


    The steam then cooled down instantly, turning into water before freezing.


    One of the soldiers managed to come at me from my blind spot.


    But I could sense him somehow.


    His shape, his appearance, his height, and even the size of his¡­ well, you know. I could see it all without having to look at him.


    I guess this was a perk of spending millions of experience points on my waterbending.


    I pointed my hand at him and used Freeze Palm from a distance.


    When I first acquired this skill, it took time to activate, and even more time at a distance.


    But as I leveled up, the required time decreased.


    And now, after gaining a few levels in a row, I wanted to test it.


    The soldier who jumped at me was just one meter away.


    Less than one second.


    That''s all it took for the fire soldier to have all the water in his body turn into ice.


    I took a step aside, letting him complete his jump. As he landed, he fell like a statue, white mist flowing out of his body.


    That was completely broken.


    But considering the amount of experience I had spent on my waterbending, it made total sense.


    And speaking of broken¡­


    The earthbenders were thriving.


    I looked at Haru, who simply stood facing a tank.


    He stomped on the ground, and the tank flipped. He then pushed his hands forward, and the tank moved like a rock, smashing through a line of soldiers.


    The others worked in sync, showing how overpowered teamwork among metalbenders could be.


    I watched as armored soldiers flew through the air.


    "How in the hell is this happening?"


    "The tanks¡­ The tanks¡­" S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Fire Nation tanks were crushing themselves, and the soldiers inside didn''t stand a chance.


    The bodies of the Fire Nation soldiers flew through the air and crashed into each other.


    Others had their armor squeezed around them, suffocating them to death.


    They shot fire streams left and right, but the earthbenders¡ªnow metalbenders¡ªdidn''t give them a chance to aim.


    It was a total massacre.


    Seeing that I might only get a portion of the experience, I decided to take my turn.


    I steamed the water tentacles, turning them into concentrated steam that occupied a large space.


    I swept the steam over the Fire Nation soldiers, freezing it on them and turning them into ice statues.


    Since they didn''t have the light spirits on their side and weren''t the Avatar, they were obviously dead.


    Seriously, who could survive being frozen if not the Avatar?


    Not even the fiber in food remains intact after freezing and thawing, let alone a living organism made of complex proteins, blood, glycogen, and other stuff.


    Even if their bodies were preserved, there''s no way they''d remain the same.


    I didn''t hear the notifications for a simple reason: I had deactivated them so they wouldn''t distract me.


    I looked at the mist in the air and decided to go all out. Otherwise, I''d lose a portion of the experience points to the earthbenders, metalbenders, and dustbenders.


    I used my Chi Bending, controlling the mystical energy and creating an aura around my body. I felt more powerful and faster. At the same time, I knew I wouldn''t last long in this form, so I had to make the most of the time I had.


    I dashed into the mist, part of it following me.


    I met the first enemy and placed my hand on him.


    Steam rose from his body as I used Dehydration Palm, taking his life in an instant.


    I could sense four more firebenders surrounding me.


    When you''re at a disadvantage or advantage in battle, the most efficient strategy is to take down the enemy''s leader.


    It''s like taking the queen in a game of chess during the endgame.


    I stopped in place and waved my hand, bending the steam to surround the firebenders. I used the Steaming skill to raise the temperature to the maximum. The steam didn''t just heat their skin¡ªit entered their bodies through their noses, ears, and mouths.


    And unlike fire, steam doesn''t burn¡ªit cooks.


    (Burns are caused by dry heat. Scalds are caused by wet heat.)


    Once the steam passed over them, they dropped dead.


    I continued fighting, and so did everyone else.


    The firebenders and Fire Nation soldiers who had been on the offensive turned and started to run away.


    The earthbenders, who had been oppressed for 17 years, 15 years, 10, 5¡ªwhatever time they had been captured¡ªdidn''t let the chance slip to unleash their anger.


    Wild screams echoed in the air, drowning out the cries of the armored men flying through the air.


    Their numbers dwindled.


    And soon, roars of victory could be heard.


    The steam surrounding me scattered, and I panted, having used a lot of Chi.


    [The battle is over]


    [Calculating]


    [Host defeated 30 firebenders and 50 normal soldiers. Counting masters, non-masters, martial artists, and their skill levels.]


    [Thanks to your command, your men defeated 350 soldiers.]


    [Counting¡­]


    [Waterbending +20,000 experience points]


    [Chi Bending +5,000 experience points]


    [You''ve earned 150,000 accumulated experience points]

 Chapter 44 - 44

    I stood up, drained of Chi energy. But the roars of victory gave me the strength to at least remain on my feet.


    I smiled, seeing how happy everyone was to have won.


    It was also a relief that none of them had died.


    Sure, there were a few who had been caught by the fire beams and had burn marks on their bodies. But those injuries weren''t anything that a little healing couldn''t fix. Besides, Katara was here to help me, and she was exceptionally talented at that.


    "Ryuk."


    "All hail Ryuk!"


    The earthbenders surrounded me and lifted me forcefully before throwing me into the air.


    "Guys¡­ stop¡­" I said, but my voice was drowned out by their cheering.


    ''Damn,'' I thought.


    You see, using double speed and power while bending came at a cost. Combining two powerful skills¡ªone of which allowed me to push past my human limits, while the other was above what any human could pull¡ªhad left me feeling utterly drained. But seeing them so happy, I endured.


    ''A bunch of middle-aged and old people throwing me around,'' I thought. ''I feel like some washed-up singer at a reunion party.''


    Finally, they put me down.


    "Okay, guys. You''ve had your fun," I said, standing up as normally as I could. I didn''t want to show any weakness, so I acted as if nothing hurt.


    "So, what''s next?" one of them asked, and the rest turned to me, waiting for an answer.


    "First things first," I said, pointing to the battlefield. "You''ll finish your job."


    I was pretty sure most of them would understand why I asked them to do this, but not all of them.


    They started talking among themselves.


    "But they''re already dead."


    "He''s talking about burying the bodies. You know, the rot, the smell, the diseases. Even if the village is far away, with so many dead, the stench alone would knock us out."


    "I see."


    "That''s a good point."


    "But there are too many of them."


    "Ugh¡­"


    A few of them groaned.


    Seriously, these guys were earthbenders, not ordinary citizens.


    "Just divide the work among yourselves. Ten of you work for an hour, then switch out until it''s done," I said. "But if you don''t like it, figure it out yourselves."


    "Sure, we''ll figure it out."


    -x-X-x-


    Unlike what I had expected, the work was done very quickly by just ten earthbenders. They simply walked around, made a few movements, and the blood and bones were buried beneath the earth. To anyone looking at the battlefield now, it would seem like a farming field.


    That''s what I thought as I stood atop the wall and looked down. However, farming here was out of the question for now.


    I gazed over the horizon, realizing that we hadn''t killed all the firebenders. There must have been scouts who had witnessed the battle, and they would have reported it¡ªnot just to other bases, but to the Fire Lord himself.


    We had done something unprecedented: defeating an army forty times larger than ours. We had used explosive powder, something this world had yet to discover. More importantly, we had revealed two new types of bending. If you included me, that made three. But I wasn''t as significant since I was just one man. The earthbenders'' new abilities, however, would be a major concern for the Fire Nation.


    The Fire Nation had always held a significant advantage over earthbenders, whose strength lay in the earth, thanks to their advanced technology, which relied heavily on metal. Now that we had shown the world that metalbenders existed, the Fire Nation couldn''t afford to sit still. If more earthbenders became metalbenders, the Fire Nation would lose everything they had fought for.


    They would prioritize us above all else. We couldn''t defeat them if they launched an all-out war against this village. We wouldn''t be able to gather enough materials to create the explosives needed to wipe them out. Not to mention, now that they knew we had explosives, they could adjust their strategies.


    If I were them, with a massive army and knowledge of explosive powder on the ground, I would divide my forces and send small squads from different directions. I would also force captives to wear Fire Nation armor and masks¡ªsacrificial lambs. Once the lambs were dead, I would confirm that the enemy''s ammunition was depleted, then send another squad to verify. Once certain, I would unleash my entire army.


    You know what that means. Even with a hundred metalbenders or dustbenders on steroids, they wouldn''t be able to withstand attacks from all directions.


    "Chief, now that everything''s done, what''s next?" Kamu, a young man who acted as a scout, approached and asked.


    I sighed heavily.


    They were still treating me as their leader, even though the battle was over. For now, they should focus on preserving their lives. But I didn''t want to ruin their moment of happiness by telling them what might come next. That would make me a killjoy.


    I turned to Kamu and said, "Obviously."


    "Obviously what?" he asked.


    I forced a smile. "Drink and party all night."


    "But where would we get drinks?" he asked.


    I pointed toward the horizon.


    "You see, when a large army like this comes to conquer a small village, I believe they set up supply tents along the way. I also think they brought drinks to celebrate their victory. Go and collect everything."


    "Do you think the drinks survived the battle?"


    "There''s only one way to find out," I said, pointing. "Now, go."


    "Ugh¡­ I shouldn''t have asked," he grumbled, but he did as he was told.


    Surprisingly, I was right. The firebenders had brought all kinds of tobacco, alcohol, cigarettes, hookahs, and even different herbs to smoke. I was tempted to see if they had marijuana or coca plants. If they had coca plants, taking down the Fire Nation would be too easy. Just grind it into powder, supply it to the Fire Nation, then cut off the supply and only give it to the Fire Lord''s palace. That would spark a civil war.


    I shook my head, dismissing the idea. There was no way that would work in the short term. The Sozin''s Comet would arrive by then, and the Fire Nation would send their squads to conquer any city that hadn''t fallen in the last hundred years of war.


    ---


    Some played drums, while others drank heavily and danced. I sat in a corner, watching them. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I guess ignorance really is bliss.


    We had won a battle, but not the war. Still, I supposed it was alright to enjoy what we had, even if it was temporary. After all, life itself is temporary, yet we still party and try to be happy in the time we have.


    ''Why do assholes like the Fire Nation have to ruin people''s happiness?'' I thought. ''The Fire Lord wants to be the Phoenix King, all to satisfy his ego. He''s willing to do all of this just for that.''


    Kings were the ones who caused people''s misery, and for a very simple reason.


    You see, before becoming a king, one had to be a prince. Princes were raised with inflated egos from childhood, taught that they were above everyone else. And that wasn''t even the worst part. Most of those who became kings had to use dirty tricks¡ªpoison, schemes, and betrayal¡ªagainst their own family to achieve their goals.


    Someone capable of that could only be a psychopath. And the royal system of succession favored such individuals¡ªthose who could kill their own family for power. If Ozai was a psychopath who became king that way, what about his father, grandfather, and so on?


    ''Anyway, I''ll tell them to pack up their stuff tomorrow. No¡­ I''ll need to hear their opinions first,'' I thought.


    "What are you overthinking about?" Katara''s voice interrupted my thoughts.


    I looked at her. She was wearing a light blue dress and holding two bottles of wine.


    I raised an eyebrow, amused.


    "Didn''t think you''d get hooked," I said.


    "Wish it were more private around here," she replied, handing me a bottle. "But we can enjoy what we have."


    "I''m not sure it''s the right time for me to celebrate," I replied, looking at the bottle and wondering if I should drink or not. I had too much to think about. No, I had one thing to think a lot about: what to do next. I needed a clear mind for that.


    If I got drunk, I wouldn''t be able to think straight. You might say I could use waterbending to remove the alcohol from my body, but I was too exhausted to heal anyone, let alone myself. I needed real, natural recovery. And since Katara was planning to get drunk, I couldn''t trust her with my entire body¡ªjust a part of it, if you know what I mean.


    She placed her hand on my shoulder.


    "Ryuk, I know you''re thinking about what happens next," she said. "But trust me, you''re not the only one. How about loosening up a bit?"


    "Everyone else isn''t thinking about it because they trust me to handle it," I said, exhaling in frustration. "They''re literally putting everything in my hands."


    "Guess that''s because you''re overqualified," Katara said, holding my hand. "Come on now."


    "Fine," I replied, opening the bottle and drinking half of it in one gulp. It was a good way to let the stress out.


    "Ryuk, how about this?" Katara said, glancing around. Her eyes fell on her brother, who was talking to some woman. "You''ll pretend to have hurt your hand, and since you''re too drunk to heal it, I''ll take you to your place and fix it."


    "My hand! It''s paralyzed!" I grabbed my left hand and pretended to be in pain.


    "You caught on too quickly," Katara whispered, forcing a smile.


    "I need some healing," I groaned. "But I''ve used up all my energy."


    "I''ll help you. Let''s go somewhere quieter. The noise will interfere with the healing," she said, helping me up.


    I turned to the soldiers and said, "Don''t worry. It''s just a quick check-up, and I''ll be back."


    They''d forget about me in five minutes anyway. Most of them were already drunk.


    -x-X-x-


    Later that night, a messenger falcon crossed the sea and arrived at the royal palace. That night, an uproar began.

 Chapter 45 - 45

    The palace of the Fire Lord was in an uproar.


    After the falcon delivered the message about the battle, the main palace¡ªwhich typically wouldn''t be concerned with minor village occupations¡ªgathered all the higher-ups for an emergency meeting.


    Generals, commanders, and governors were summoned immediately.


    While waiting for the Fire Lord to arrive, the higher-ups talked among themselves.


    "What do you think this is about?" asked General Sai.


    Commander Ruzo, sitting next to him, replied, "Did the Avatar wake up?"


    "If he had, we would have heard about it before the Fire Lord."


    "Hush¡­ you don''t want to sound disrespectful, do you?" Ruzo turned his gaze toward a specific spot where someone had just arrived. He whispered, "She''s even more ruthless than her father."


    Sai turned his head. A woman around 18 years old, with long, silky black hair, a curvy figure, and piercing yellow eyes, took a seat. She was the prodigy of the Fire Nation, a master firebender by a very young age and capable of defeating anyone as a young teenager. She sat down with a deadpan expression, yawning.


    "What''s this about?" she grumbled as she settled into her seat.


    This was the prodigy, known as the "Widowed Prodigy." Despite her age, no one dared to approach her for marriage¡ªnot even governors or ambitious politicians. And for good reason. Though she was strikingly beautiful, she was also terrifying.


    Of course, no one would dare use that title in front of her or her father. Well, no one would use it at all within the palace walls. The snitches were working overtime these days, and they didn''t even need payment.


    "We''re still trying to figure that out, Princess," Sai said, forcing a nervous smile. ''Why, of all people, did she have to sit next to me? If I say something wrong, I might be executed¡­ Though, I wouldn''t mind if she stepped on me¡­''


    "What are you thinking about?" Ruzo asked, noticing Sai''s dazed expression. From this angle, it looked like a tent was forming in Sai''s lap. Ruzo kicked his friend under the table, trying to snap him out of it before he got himself killed.


    "Ah, right," Sai said, snapping back to reality. He scrambled for something to say. "I was wondering if Prince Zuko is coming back."


    "The exiled prince?" Ruzo played along. "But I heard he''s on a journey to find the Avatar and can''t return until he succeeds."


    Azula interjected, "Even if Zuko found the Avatar, there''s no way my father would wake me up this early just for that."


    "As expected of the Princess. Your reasoning is flawless."


    "Your brilliance always shines, Princess."


    Azula rolled her eyes. More sycophancy. She was already sick of it. But for the sake of her beloved father, she decided to endure the meeting. She''d also be lying if she said she wasn''t curious about what was happening.


    "The Fire Lord has arrived," a man in royal court attire announced.


    Everyone in the room stood as Fire Lord Ozai entered.


    Ozai took his seat at the head of the table.


    "You may sit," he said.


    The crowd observed him carefully. There were signs of anger and nervousness on his face. Dark bags had formed under his eyes, though he had tried to conceal them with makeup.


    The room fell silent as everyone sat down.


    "We will now begin the meeting," Ozai said, his voice firm. "I don''t want to hear anything about finances or rebellions. We are here to discuss the matter at hand. I''ll be direct. Recently, we sent a punitive force of 4,000 men, supported by our latest technology, to attack a village defended by only 100 earthbenders. Can anyone guess what happened?"


    It was obvious something had gone terribly wrong, which was why the Fire Lord had called this meeting.


    But seriously¡ªhow could a minor village cause such a stir?


    "The earthbenders must have had help," someone suggested.


    "Perhaps the Avatar has appeared," Ruzo said.


    Sai shot him a wide-eyed look, as if his idea had been stolen.


    Others began sharing their theories.


    "What if I told you," Ozai said, cutting through the chatter, "that those hundred men, led by a single waterbender, managed to decimate a significant portion of our forces?"


    "How is that possible?"


    "It''s impossible to imagine! A for thousands losing to a hundred?"


    Ozai placed a document on the table. "According to the scouts'' report, the earthbenders have developed a new form of bending called ''dustbending.'' They filled the battlefield with an explosive dust so powerful it could send our tanks flying¡ªunlike anything we''ve seen before, such as wood dust."


    "So, they''ve developed a new explosive weapon and a new type of bending," said an old man with a beard that reached the floor. "We could steal their technology and use it for ourselves. Additionally, if they rely on dust, we can develop strategies to counter it."


    "The other problem," Ozai continued, slamming his hand on the table, "is that after the dust explosion was over, 400 of our soldiers bravely charged forward, thinking the threat was over. But the earthbenders had also learned to bend metal. They toyed with our soldiers and tanks as if they were nothing. Do you understand what this means?"


    The council was at an uproar, and they started whispering among themsevles.


    "The earthbenders¡­ According to the reports, they were imprisoned in metal cells and subjected to hard labor for up to 17 years. It''s no surprise they learned to bend metal."


    "Then the small rebellion led by Ryuk is just a distraction," another official suggested. "If the metalbenders were the true leaders, they used Ryuk as a decoy to mask their knowledge and lure our army into a trap to test their new abilities."


    Others nodded, agreeing with him.


    "Do you really think a bunch of brainless barbarians could invent a new type of explosive?" Ozai asked, his voice dripping with skepticism.


    Azula raised her hand.


    "Speak," Ozai granted her permission.


    "It''s true that earthbenders aren''t known for their intelligence," Azula said. "But what we do know is that they''ve mastered metalbending and have access to a new recipe for a powerful explosive dust, which they''d abuse it to the limit. It doesn''t matter who came up with it. What matters is stopping them from spreading that knowledge. Without our machines, these new benders could flip the odds in the war. Of course, I could easily defeat them myself, but our armored soldiers would be helpless." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Azula was confident in her abilities. She had fought earthbenders before and could easily deflect their attacks. She had even used to parry flying rocks with her hands. But facing explosive dust while wearing heavy armor would be a different story.


    "So, everyone must understand," Ozai said gravely, "that we may be losing the Hundred Year War very soon. The Prison Rig must be our highest priority. Gather all soldiers from nearby bases. Command the navy. The operation will be led by a capable general."


    "This is a full-scale attack," Ozai added.

 Chapter 46 - 46

    As the sun was rising¡­


    "I''m retiring," I declared to the crowd standing in front of me. Looking at their faces, I could tell they''d had a rough night at the party. Well, I''d had a rough celebration myself¡­ Katara and I.


    But back to what''s important. Now that the war was over, and I''d taken responsibility for shifting the Fire Nation''s attention to the village by saving it, I was finally guilt-free.


    Although it was cruel to wake everyone up this early after a hangover, I had to deliver a message quickly.


    "What do you mean?" Haru stepped forward and asked.


    "Yeah," Tyro nodded. "It''s not like you''re 70 years old."


    It was obvious to everyone that I no longer wanted to lead them into battle.


    I get it¡ªthey love me, and it''s hard for them to let go.


    "You see, guys," I smiled and clapped. "Last night, I had a moment of mental clarity¡­ and this morning, I''ve thought a lot about it."


    "And?" a middle-aged woman asked.


    "We''re going to face a full-scale attack from all directions," I replied. "It''s a no-brainer that the Fire Nation now considers us their greatest threat and will move to eliminate us immediately."


    An old man smiled. "There''s no way the news could reach the Fire Nation that quickly."


    "I thought so too. But let me ask you this," I said. "What''s the fastest messaging bird?"


    In my previous world, there was a small falcon that could fly faster than 300 km/h. In this world, the animals were stronger and different. Well, not just the animals¡ªthere was Zuko, who could break metal chains with a single kick, and old men like Iroh, who could throw boulders twice their size. Imagine what kind of speed and power the wildlife here possessed.


    "Yes, I get your point," said a man who sounded like an expert, his voice tinged with sadness. "But there''s no way the news could reach the palace that fast. There''s an entire sea to cross. And while animals are fast, they don''t have that much stamina."


    I had thought the same thing¡ªor at least I had, until I delved deeper into it.


    They answered me.


    "Does the Fire Nation have naval bases on islands in the sea?" I asked.


    "They do."


    "Yes."


    "That''s how we lost the war and got captured in the first place. It''s thanks to their numerous naval bases."


    "Oh, damn! I see it now."


    The super-fast falcons wouldn''t need to cross the entire sea to deliver an emergency report. A messaging bird could stop at one of those naval bases, which would then send another bird. Alternatively, the Fire Nation might have developed something similar to radio signals and a code system¡ªthough I doubted they had.


    I could dwell on this and let my mind spiral into conspiracy theories, but I decided to plan for the worst-case scenario. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s why I''m retiring as a battle general," I said. "And before anyone says that building a large army takes time, let me remind you that producing enough explosive powder to wipe them out would take even longer. Not to mention, they now know what kind of weapons we have, and they''ll adjust their strategies accordingly. Earthbenders, we''re not dealing with brainless creatures here."


    The villagers looked at each other, considering my words, and soon, they began to nod in agreement.


    "Can anyone guess what I''m thinking now that we''re the Fire Nation''s top priority?" I raised a finger.


    "Obviously, we do what they fear most¡ªspread the knowledge," Kamu said.


    I was impressed. For the first time, he''d said something intelligent and correct.


    "You have a plan, don''t you?" one of the villagers asked.


    I nodded. "Not so much a plan as a suggestion. You can ignore it and settle somewhere else, living your lives guilt-free."


    "I think the idea is to head to one of the major cities and spread the knowledge. Ba Sing Se or Omashu would be the obvious choices," someone suggested.


    I clapped for whoever made that suggestion.


    "And?" I prompted.


    "And¡­ what else?"


    "If you can think of it, so can they. While they''re gathering their army, they''ll have units stationed along the way to intercept us," I said. "It wouldn''t be difficult for them."


    "Hmm¡­ that makes sense."


    "So, what do you suggest?"


    "Divide," I said. "We''ll split into several units¡ªaround ten, with myself making eleven. Each unit will head to a different city. I''ll go to Omashu myself and take Katara with me for¡­ educational purposes."


    Katara smiled slightly and turned her head away.


    Sokka looked at me with wide eyes, visibly shaking.


    Oh, come on, Sokka. Last night, I saw you flirting with someone else''s sister. Let your sister follow her heart, and don''t tag along. Please, don''t tag along.


    "But wouldn''t it be dangerous to go alone?" Haru objected, placing a hand on my shoulder.


    "I''m powerful enough," I said, taking his hand down. I turned to the remaining crowd and continued, "And that''s why I''m taking the most dangerous route. Obviously, the Fire Nation will focus their guards on the paths to Omashu and Ba Sing Se¡ªor any other major city. Take rides with you, and let the non-benders scout ahead. If they don''t return, or come back running, you''ll know what to do."


    "Also, I forgot to mention¡ªif you meet fellow earthbenders in other villages, train them and bring them with you. You''ll be safer that way," I added with a heavy sigh. "I know this plan isn''t foolproof, and the survival rate won''t be 100%. But I hope we all make it through this alive."


    The villagers¡ªearthbenders, dustbenders, and metalbenders¡ªsighed as if accepting the harsh reality. The sense of empowerment they''d felt just a day ago had faded like dust in the wind.


    But that wouldn''t go to waste. They would rekindle a new hope, one strong enough to push the Fire Nation back to their homeland.


    I looked at them and said, "Don''t worry. This is just a new beginning. If a hundred metalbenders could toy with 400 firebenders and their tanks, imagine what thousands¡ªor tens of thousands¡ªcould do."


    "Also, here''s some advice: instead of relying solely on explosive dust, try gathering glass and grinding it into not-too-fine powder."


    Glass wasn''t just light¡ªit was incredibly sharp. When turned into small shards mixed with earth particles, it became both a poison and a weapon. Inhaling even a little would destroy the lungs almost instantly.


    "Hmm¡­ glass dust. If it''s not ground too finely but into thin, sharp blades, breathing it would mean certain death."


    "And not breathing it would mean being cut by tens of thousands of tiny blades¡ªliterally."


    I smirked. "Hey, hey. Don''t over-rely on it. Always check the wind direction first. And wear face masks when handling it."


    The villagers packed up their belongings that day, gathering all the glass they could find and grinding it into powder. As they worked, Katara approached me and took my hand, starting a conversation.


    "So, what ''educational purposes'' were you talking about?" she asked, holding my hand.


    "I meant waterbending," I replied. "But if you want, I can teach you more."


    She narrowed her eyes at me. "Sounds like you''ve learned a lot."


    "Yes," I nodded, catching her hint. "I mean, you can build ice shelters if you know how to make the ice cold enough, or set traps to wake you up while sleeping in the wild. And do you know about cabbage? It''s delicious, and I have plenty of it."


    "And what else?" she asked.


    "What else?" I echoed.


    "Aren''t you going to admit that you''re a playboy?" she asked.


    "Do we even have that word in the South Pole? What does it mean?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "For that matter, where did you learn that word?"


    "Sokka''s villager friend called him that¡ªor accused him of it¡ªand told him to leave her alone," Katara explained.


    "Ouch." I placed a hand on my chest, feeling a pang of sympathy for the poor guy. Rejection could only make him stronger. It was something every man had to get used to¡ªunless they wanted to stay virgins forever or pay for it. In this world, I doubted there were any known places for that. Plus, STDs were real. I didn''t even want to imagine what kind of viruses existed in the Avatar world.


    I sensed Sokka approaching through the moisture in the air. He had a packed bag on his back and said, "So, what else?"


    Great. A third wheel.


    "You''re tagging along?" I asked with a frown.


    "I need Katara," Sokka replied. "There are chores to do. Besides, I can''t trust a man traveling alone with my sister."


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.


    Katara smiled bitterly. "That would be wonderful."


    ''I''ll dump him once we reach Omashu,'' I thought to myself, glancing south. ''Yeah, I''ll write him an apology letter saying I had urgent business and needed a capable bender, so we had to leave early to fight an imaginary enemy.''


    I sighed. "Anyway, we should get moving."


    "Where?" Sokka asked.


    "North. We''ll ask for directions and then head to Omashu," I replied before putting my fingers to my mouth and whistling.


    Lucy, who had grown into a 2.5-meter-tall tigress, came rushing toward me. One couldn''t forget their pet¡ªand ride¡ªnow.


    I patted her head.


    I decided to take one last look at my stats.


    ---


    [


    **Skill Trees**


    - Waterbending - 14


    - Chi Bending - 11


    - Martial Arts - 9


    **Skills:**


    - Hunting - 9


    - Steaming - 9


    - Fishing - 4


    - Freeze - 11


    - Stealth (Passive) - 10


    **Titles: (4/2)**


    - The Deadly Ice (Equipped)


    - Shadow Lurker


    - Beast Hunter


    - Warlord (Equipped)


    **Accumulated Experience: 400,000**]

 Chapter 47 - 47

    After departing from the village, Ryuk led the siblings and a tiger in one direction on their journey to the city of Omashu. Over the next several days, he had been teaching Katara waterbending, which she was picking up very quickly.


    At the same time, the Fire Nation''s reaction didn''t go unnoticed by the rest of the continent. All of their attacks and offensive forces had left their positions and headed to the southwest.


    Such a massive movement couldn''t go unnoticed.


    The scouts who had reported to the Fire Lord had been captured by an opposing force, and they had spilled everything they knew.


    When the Fire Nation forces arrived at the village, they found it empty.


    Soon, wild rumors spread across the continent.


    A massive army of firebenders, a considerable force, had been defeated by fewer than 100 people, leaving a stain on the Fire Nation''s pride.


    Some people claimed that the Fire Lord''s blood pressure had raised because of this, and his health was getting worse.


    Even if the rumors were true, no one could blame the Fire Lord for having such a reaction. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite the extensive search for the earthbenders, no one had found them.


    Wanted posters were plastered everywhere, targeting those who were known. The highest reward was for Ryuk¡ªdead or alive.


    Of course, Ryuk remained unaware of this even after a couple of weeks.


    Sokka sat by the campfire, barbecuing a rabbit he had caught. Katara stood by the river behind him, practicing waterbending techniques against her boyfriend.


    Ryuk stood in front of her, hands in his pockets.


    She stomped, pulled her body back, and then pushed forward with her arms, creating a wave from the river that surged toward Ryuk.


    Ryuk placed his foot on the wave. It might have seemed like he intended to kick it away, but instead, he stepped onto the water and rode the wave backward.


    The water climbed up his leg and began to freeze.


    ''Her ice has gotten colder, but it''s still not enough to give anyone frostbite,'' Ryuk thought to himself, smiling. ''Guess it''s the system''s advantage to let me raise my Freeze Level.''


    Katara was picking up the lessons he had been teaching her quickly. At this rate, she might even reach a bending mastery of level 10 soon. In just two weeks of guidance, she had easily reached level 9.


    Since he had been the one to teach her, Ryuk felt a sense of pride. He clapped his hands, and the ice shattered, splitting the wave in two.


    Sokka blew on the crispy skin of the grilled rabbit. The rich aroma hit his nose, and his mouth began to water.


    A water wave suddenly hit him, drenching both him and his food.


    He frowned.


    He had tried to tell the two to cool it down, but they never listened, continuing their practice.


    When he had argued with Ryuk, the latter had told him he could always go somewhere else to cook his food.


    Of course, Sokka, who had recently begun to appreciate the wonders of women, couldn''t leave his sister alone with Ryuk. No offense to Ryuk¡ªhe was an awesome guy, responsible, and had a sense of humor that made him trustworthy. But Sokka was too young to become an uncle. As the older brother, he felt it was his duty to protect his little sister.


    Katara spread her hands, clapped, and then waved them downward. Water rose from the ground, forming a surface above Ryuk before turning into ice needles that rained down on him.


    Ryuk shifted his body, creating a water barrier. It was obvious he could do this with just a thought, using minimal mental effort. But he was teaching someone who couldn''t do that yet.


    The needles hit the dense water barrier and slowed down. The water, thickened by bending, was perfect for defense. Of course, one could make it spin, but he would leave that for her to figure out.


    Ryuk began punching ice balls out of the barrier, which Katara tried to dodge. Eventually, she slipped and fell.


    "When I said I don''t like my meat dry, this isn''t what I meant," Sokka muttered, looking at the now-soggy grilled rabbit. He took the rabbit away and reignited the fire to crisp the skin again.


    "Let me help you," Ryuk said to Katara, taking her hand and helping her up.


    She chuckled. "I lost again."


    Over the past few weeks of traveling, Ryuk had been teaching her, and they had sparred regularly.


    After each sparring session, Ryuk would stand behind her and correct her stances. She couldn''t focus much during these moments, as something would press against her¡ªand it wasn''t his hand. She would suddenly feel very warm.


    "You''re improving at an incredible rate. Don''t let it get you down," he replied.


    "Yes, sure," she smiled at him. "But it seems like I''ll never reach your level."


    "Who knows?" he replied, glancing at the sky. "It looks like the full moon is approaching."


    "Hmm¡­" she nodded. "I''ve heard it increases the power of waterbending."


    "It definitely does," he said. "Though, I was wondering about another effect."


    "Water bonding?" she asked with a hint of mischief. Over the past few days, Ryuk had grown more comfortable telling her dirty jokes, and she had started joking back. But this time, Ryuk wasn''t even thinking along those lines.


    He was considering that bloodbending was out of his reach because the system determined its level. He was confused about whether he needed to level up Chi Bending, Waterbending, or both first.


    But at the same time, Katara wasn''t bound by the system and could potentially learn it.


    Everything has its pros and cons¡ªeven a gaming system.


    For example, someone with an HP bar could heal instantly by drinking water or consuming items. That might seem awesome, being able to regenerate in front of others.


    But imagine this scenario: What if they just survived a battle with only 5 or 1 HP left? What if their friend slapped their back so hard that those last HP points were depleted, and they died? A normal human would just smile through the pain.


    Everything has its ups and downs. There''s no denying it.


    On the other hand, leveling up his skills through the system was much faster. He didn''t need a teacher or a guide¡ªjust practice and gathering experience points through hunting would put him at the top.


    He could level up certain aspects that people in this world couldn''t, such as freezing. In the series, ice rarely killed, but his ice could easily take down giant insects.


    ''I won''t give up. I''ll keep lifting weights with water until I can lift a body with blood,'' he thought.


    "Ryuk. Earth to Ryuk," Katara waved her hand in front of his face as he zoned out.


    "Sorry, I got lost in thought," he replied, pulling her closer by the waist.


    "Ryuk¡­ I''m up for a quickie if you want to let loose," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.


    "Oh, look at that. Sokka isn''t the only one getting wet, it seems," he joked.


    Katara chuckled but suppressed her smile. "You want to stay cold?"


    "I better shut my lips," Ryuk said.


    "Let me help you with that," she said, kissing him.


    -x-X-x-


    The next day, Ryuk and the siblings arrived at a bustling city. The streets were alive with activity as people moved back and forth.


    Merchants lined the streets, offering their wares. It was clear that this was a prosperous city¡ªand, more importantly, it wasn''t occupied by the Fire Nation.


    The people dressed in green, trading with the Earth Kingdom''s currency, which looked very different from the Fire Nation''s money.


    How did Ryuk know? Well, it was obviously not the South Pole''s currency, nor was it the Fire Nation''s.


    ''I''ll have to exchange my loot and get earth kingdom currency.'' he thought.


    At the city entrance, he paused.


    He saw a familiar face on a wanted posters board.


    "Seriously?" Sokka said, looking at the poster. "This isn''t even a Fire Nation-occupied place, yet they have wanted posters for ''justice.''"


    "They have a big note saying the rewards can only be paid at Fire Nation posts," Katara added.


    "Hmm¡­ seems bounty hunters aren''t concerned about the Hundred Year War," Ryuk sighed. "I look quite handsome, though." His eyes fell on his own poster.


    "Dead or alive. Wanted for crimes of rebelling against the Fire Nation, prison breaks, killing higher-ups, creating explosive bombs, and committing war crimes¡­ What the hell? Since when is killing an occupier on your own land considered a war crime?"


    The answer was obvious: history is written by the victors.


    "They''re just being salty," Sokka added. Then his eyes widened. "Look¡­"

 Chapter 48 - 48

    "A hundred thousand gold coins from the Fire Nation, better dead than alive." I was quite surprised. "And one thousand gold coins from an Earth Kingdom city, only alive. I''m wanted on two sides?"


    I guess the other earthbenders, who spread my teachings to the world, didn''t steal the credit from me.


    It was now obvious that I was known as the inventor of the metalbending training method. I had also made the earthbenders learn my teachings by hacking their brain chemistry¡ªliterally. So, I might even be wanted by allies. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I smiled, looking at the poster. I felt a sense of pride. My heart had toughened up from the many recent life-and-death experiences, so I didn''t feel any fear.


    ''You know what? All I need is to wear a straw hat. I''ll gather all the treasure I can, oppose the Fire Nation, and then call my treasure the One Piece. When I die, I''ll yell that the One Piece is real. Sounds like an epic ending. Or better yet, I''ll make a speech. Fame. Money¡­ Power.''


    Don''t take my thoughts seriously. I was just having childish fantasies. What? At least it''s not some Ecchi anime-type fantasy.


    "That''s quite a sum of money," Sokka commented exaggeratedly. "I think we should turn you in."


    "You''re not acting like a good brother-in-law, brother-in-law," I said, grimacing and calling him in the most annoying way I knew would trigger him.


    "You can''t seriously take a joke," Sokka exhaled a long breath. "I''d save you after turning you in, you know I would."


    I put my hand under my chin. "Now that you mention it, a hundred thousand gold is a lot of money. The most I''ve collected from soldiers was silver, and only a commander or captain had a few gold coins. The warden of the prison, who had a village paying him high taxes, only had 30 gold saved. I mean, no one would earn a hundred thousand gold in their entire life working normally."


    Katara looked at me with wide eyes. "Are you insane? They want you dead more than alive! What assures you they won''t kill you on the spot? Matter of fact, if they cuff you and throw you in a metal prison, you''re as good as dead."


    "Katara, we''re just joking," I sighed.


    As for her question about what assured me I wouldn''t be killed.


    I may not be a bloodbender, but I can bend them nuts.


    "Joking, my ass. I know my brother, and I know you. Neither of you was joking," she yelled.


    I placed my hands on her shoulders. I could tell she was repulsed by my crazy idea.


    I gave a side glance to Sokka, who just moved his eyes up and down.


    We''d discuss a plan for that later.


    Who knows? If we''re patient, we might even raise my bounty.


    "Sorry, mom," Sokka apologized. "It''s not that serious."


    "Yeah, Katara. You should know, when men joke, they act honest because they know they can''t do it. So, even if they''re honest, no harm can be done," I said, scratching my chin.


    Her anger was justified. But come on. To make money, you need to take risks. High risk, high reward.


    ''If there''s a chance on the day before we kick out the Fire Nation, I''d turn myself in¡­''


    ''By that time, I should be a bloodbender. And then, I''ll steal their money.''


    My desperation to become a bloodbender was stronger than Vegeta''s desire to become a Super Saiyan.


    I entered the city with the siblings and exchanged some of my money for Earth Kingdom currency.


    Katara went to buy new dresses and other things. I helped her since she hadn''t brought any money from the South Pole.


    As for Sokka, he kept looking at me with puppy eyes the whole time his sister was shopping.


    Out of pity, I gave him a T-shirt I had stolen from a Fire Nation soldier.


    As for why I was buying clothes for Katara, it wasn''t just for her joy. It was for mine. I wanted her to look good so I could enjoy staring at her more. As for Sokka, I had no use for him looking good or bad. All I needed was for him not to yap at me for not getting him anything.


    "Aren''t you being too harsh on him?" Katara whispered to me.


    "He''s a man. How many times does he change his clothes?" I asked.


    "I get your point. Once or twice a week," she replied. "He can wear the same outfit for a month if I don''t yell at him."


    "He also needs to learn how to earn money," I nodded. "Anyway, I''ll be walking around to buy a few things."


    I needed some groceries and other items the market had to offer.


    Since I had looted a lot of soldiers, I had plenty of money. Not as much as the hundred-thousand-gold reward on my head, but enough to last me a few years without worry. Maybe even a few decades. And what''s the point of having money if you''re not going to use it?


    "Okay, be careful," she said, her voice tinged with concern.


    I smiled. "That''s for sure."


    "No. There may be bounty hunters around."


    "Free money," I shrugged.


    "If it''s you, I shouldn''t be worried," she sighed and shook her head.


    "We''ll meet again at the entrance. Once you''re finished, head there."


    I then began shopping for what I needed.


    As I was browsing, my aqua sense alerted me.


    This new sense didn''t just alert me to the shapes of things surrounded by water, giving me extra sight. It also picked up waves in the air, including sound from a distance. If I heard something interesting, I could focus on it.


    "Yeah¡­ smash him!"


    "That''s why they call me the Boulder¡­"


    I need to learn how to shut it down, I thought to myself. Ignore it until you don''t have to. I have six senses, or seven according to some. My brain can''t process all of them at once¡­ Wait a second, the Boulder. That sounds familiar.


    The Boulder¡ªI thought of the material earthbenders usually bend and throw. But the name reminded me of someone who always yells and makes funny faces, like a WWE wrestler. The only difference was that the latter followed a script.


    "Oh yeah," replied a soft, girlish voice. "And I''m the Blind Bandit, the greatest earthbender."


    "Greatest, my ass," he replied. "You can''t even bend metal, and they say there''s a bunch of them out there."


    But soon, the Boulder seemed to regret his words.


    "Oh¡­ ouch¡­ damn it!"


    Sounds of the Boulder getting smashed and groaning could be heard.


    "Sir, are you okay?" the merchant in front of me asked.


    It seemed I was too immersed in the conversation, and he thought I was sick or something was wrong with me.


    At the same time, he didn''t seem to recognize that I was a wanted man.


    "Forget it," I waved my hand, turned, and walked away while continuing to listen.


    It was a no-brainer that the person I was hearing was Toph.


    Toph.


    Unlike what the Boulder said, she really was the greatest earthbender to exist. Someone who could learn metalbending just because she was teased into it.


    Well, maybe since she''s older now, but in canon, I didn''t consider her the greatest¡ªin my own opinion.


    To me, for now, it was the mad king, Bumi, the greatest earthbender. But that could be different since Toph is older now.


    Bumi had enough experience to bend earth while trapped inside a metal coffin, unable to move a limb.


    That''s what you''d call the greatest earthbender. Even during the Sozin''s Comet in canon, when firebenders were on steroids, he was smashing them up.


    The voices continued to echo amidst the cheering of the crowd.


    "And I''ll have you know, I see without my eyes what people can''t see. Your ego is way bigger than your tiny worm."


    "Waaa¡­."


    Okay, enough using waterbending to eavesdrop on people''s conversations.


    Matter of fact, the fact that this girl can see you as if you were naked in front of her, see what''s in your pocket, what''s behind you, and all¡ªnot to mention she''s an adult in this world¡ªmade me reconsider approaching her, fearing some harsh comments.


    What use would I have for her anyway?


    It''s not like she could see the entire ground and underground, locate Wan Shi Tong''s Library, and give me a good clue about when the comet would arrive, so I could know if I should prepare the metalbenders or strike the Fire Nation before it''s too late.


    Hold on a second.


    She''s not completely useless. I needed to know when the comet was going to strike. I had no way to find out, so I didn''t think of it and focused on what I could control instead. And with her talent, she could take earthbending to another level. In the show, she was around 12 and could do a lot of things, already a master of earthbending. Now, she seemed older, and I didn''t know her current level.


    Katara, who had been clueless about waterbending despite not having a teacher, had discovered a few interesting moves when I arrived in this world. So, Toph could be way better now and more useful.


    At the same time, this made me think of people like Azula, who were already monstrously talented in the show. And by monstrous, I mean her talent, not her looks. She already had the potential to be a stunning beauty at a young age. If she hadn''t lost her mind by now, I wondered what she looked like and how skilled she was at firebending.


    Also, she''s a lightning bender¡ªmy perfect counter.


    I exhaled a sigh, deciding to refocus on the topic at hand.


    Toph could be useful.


    And it''s not like I had to worry about the canon and future events causing a butterfly effect. My existence alone had already destroyed all future events and thrown this world''s fate into the unknown. So, no more harm could be done.


    And so I had decided.

 Chapter 49 - 49

    "So, why did you gather us all of a sudden?" Sokka asked. "I thought we were going to find a motel and then keep moving onward. Why are we here?"


    "Yeah, that was the plan, but suddenly I found something interesting," I said.


    "Interesting? Like what?" Katara asked.


    I wondered if I should tell them about Toph. But I didn''t want to use the excuse that the spirits told me, especially since I was about to say she''s the most talented earthbender I know. So, I decided to let them see her for themselves. Honestly, I was already tired of making excuses in my life. I''ve gotten so strong, and if I keep going, I''ll be strong enough to do whatever I want. Building up such an ego didn''t leave room for excuses.


    "You''ll see," I replied.


    "Okay, Mr. Mysterious," she shrugged.


    We stood before a staircase guarded by one man.


    "This is private property," he said.


    I looked above him and saw a sign that read: "Butterfly Public Bath."


    "We''re here to watch the tournament," I said, putting my hand in my pocket, accessing the system, and grabbing some money from my storage. I placed a few silver coins in the guard''s hand, and he smiled.


    "Welcome, sirs and madam," he said, pointing us in.


    ''I don''t remember in the Avatar that they charged a fee to get in,'' I thought. ''Then again, in canon, they didn''t try to execute Haru. The Ice didn''t smash someone''s head into shards. And as far as I''ve seen, the rocks here could smash a head flat. I guess this is what it means to be R-rated. This tournament could also be a lot farther from Toph''s home.''


    We descended the staircase. What greeted us was the sight of a large arena, filled with people in the spectator seats, cheering for the fighters.


    "You brought us here for her, for what?" Sokka asked, looking around. His eyes scanned the crowd before falling on a tall, curvy girl with huge breasts. How did I know? Well, my eyes fell there too. Call it an instinct. But he stared longer than I did.


    "For what you mean?" I replied with a chuckle. Man, I totally get him. Living 18 years in the South Pole with no attractive women around who weren''t his sister could be tough.


    Speaking of tough, where was Toph? I turned my head.


    "We''re looking for a talented earthbender to recruit. Maybe teach them metalbending and then let them spread it," I said. "If they''re good enough, I might recruit them."


    "Why?" Katara asked.


    "I''ve got a feeling," I replied. "That we''d be more trustworthy to earthbenders if we had one traveling with us."


    "Why didn''t you take Haru?" she asked.


    She was making a smart remark.


    "You see, Katara, that day, I drank so much thanks to you," I smiled at her, and she blushed, embarrassed. "So, when I figured out the Fire Lord''s scheme, I decided to make the best course of action, though it was a bit rash."


    I could tell her the real reason, that I knew Toph from the canon and she could find a library in a desert and be useful. Sure, she might take the news of her being a fictional character in another world where people made countless hentai drawings of her well¡ªthough I was being sarcastic.


    "Yeah, right," Katara nodded. "Rumor has it a massive force was gathered to eradicate the metalbenders. It''s good you thought of that in advance."


    Since no one knew what might happen, I considered leaving the method for training metalbending in a scroll. It might take a long time for people here to learn metalbending without me helping their brains, but they had enough time to train in this city. They would definitely spread it to other cities and eventually across the whole Earth Kingdom.


    "Okay, Katara, find a seat, and I''ll join you soon," Sokka said. It was obvious he was going to talk to someone.


    "Me too," I said.


    "Why?" Katara asked.


    "Because I''m going to place some bets," I clapped my hands and smiled. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ryuk, this is gambling," Katara warned. "It''s something everyone''s parents warn you about. Even my grandma said to never gamble when you leave the South Pole."


    I smiled widely. "It''s not a gamble when you know the winner."


    I walked to the counter where bets could be placed for the next match.


    I read the names, and I found the Blind Thief among them.


    I pulled out about 10 golden coins, put 8 of them on the Blind Thief, and 2 on a random person. I knew the gambling houses. They liked to minimize the image of their dark horses. And if you have a perfect win streak, they''d suspect you of cheating¡ªafter all, they cheat you for your money, but they don''t like being cheated themselves.


    I went back to my seat and waited for the next matches to unfold. The random guy I placed a bet on won, and Toph then appeared.


    She was around 16¡ªno longer that cute kid, but now a cute woman. She was a bit below average height with a ripped build for a woman, though not overly buff. Her chest was modest at best, and she had a perky butt. Her silky black hair, pale skin, and pale eyes caught my attention.


    ''Not bad looking,'' I thought. ''Let''s see her skill.''


    "Is this the one you bet on?" Katara said, looking at the ticket in my hand.


    "Yes," I nodded.


    "She''s blind, you know that?" Katara rolled her eyes. "If you wanted to waste money, you could just buy more clothes."


    "I know," I agreed.


    "Why did you bet on her?" she asked.


    Seeing her question my judgment, I decided to tease her a bit.


    "Wanna make another bet with me, that she''ll win?" I said.


    She crossed her arms and thought for a bit. "Hmm¡­ what do I get if I win?"


    "Anything you want," I said.


    "And if I lose?" she asked.


    "Make me an offer," I demanded.


    "Okay, anything," she smirked.


    I smiled and clapped my hands. I was feeling lucky today.


    Needless to say, after Toph started fighting and seemed to hold back a bit, I won the bet.


    Katara wore the most bitter smile I''ve ever seen.


    "For the record, don''t even think of saying something like bringing another woman or whatever," Katara snorted, crossing her arms.


    "I was going to say a blow job, but whatever," I shrugged.


    "What''s that?" she asked.


    Yeah, we were still working on the waterbending techniques.


    "I''ll explain later," I stood up. "I''ll be back."


    Then I went to the counter and placed another bet on Toph. This went on for three rounds. After the second time, I noticed something strange.


    She was giving me that look. You know, she''s blind, but I could swear her head was following me, even without looking.


    Both of our senses worked differently, and I believed she was aware that I was aware of her. My aqua sense allowed me to see the shapes that the water pressed against, making it like a blind person using their hand to understand how someone''s face looks. But in my case, I could wrap around the whole body.


    Toph''s power, however, is quite different. She can feel the variations from the ground. She can tell the pulse. She can sense if you''re uncomfortable, angry, happy, lying, or not. She could even predict your next move.


    The more she followed me with her head, the more my heart raced.


    It''s not because I was uncomfortable being stared at.


    ''Don''t look at my package. She''s not looking at my package, right?''


    The referee, who was announcing the matches, followed Toph''s head, and his eyes met mine when I sat down.


    Toph whispered something in his ear, and I could hear it.


    "Tell that guy over there to come over. We need to talk."


    "That guy? Who¡­ wait a second. Isn''t that Ryuk?" he said.


    "The one who''s known to invent metalbending, who also happens to be a waterbender?" she replied.


    "Yes, it seems to be him. His eyes are blue."


    "But blue eyes aren''t exclusive to waterbenders."


    "There''s a minority, but he looks like the poster. Haven''t you seen it?"


    "I''m blind, can''t you see that?" she waved her hand in front of her face.


    Though they were whispering, I could hear them clearly.


    I sighed.


    "It seems he can hear us too," Toph said, looking at me and smirking, waving her hand for me to come over.


    "Look who we have here as a guest," the commentator, or referee of the underground matches, said, looking at me. "We have the one and only, Ryuk. The waterbender, steam bender, and metalbending inventor. The Coldest Nightmare of the Fire Nation."


    Everyone turned to me.


    "Looks like you''re famous," Katara commented.


    "It seems so," I raised an eyebrow, not feeling like going down into the arena. I''ve had my share of life-or-death fights, and I preferred not to force myself into a situation where I had to fight without the need to kill.


    "Would you like to come to the arena, sir?" the referee asked. "The crowd would love to see your skills."


    I waved my hand in rejection.


    "Don''t be a puss," Toph stepped forward, putting her foot next to my seat. "Let''s have a chat now, shall we?"

 Chapter 50 - 50

    "Excuse me, do I know you?" I asked.


    "Seems so, since you placed all of your money on me. Well, most of your money. But didn''t you think I wouldn''t see through you?" she said.


    I forgot. She was a lie detector. Guess if I wanted to lie to her, I''d have to go the old school route. Half-truth, half-lie to throw them off. Or maybe just twist the truth.


    Let''s put that to the test.


    "That never happened," I blinked twice.


    Well, she could never have seen me placing the bets.


    "Hmm... forget about it," she said. "I''m the blind thief, and you can call me Toph. I won''t beat around the bush. How the hell did a waterbender invent metalbending?"


    "I''ve seen a cute girl do it," I replied.


    "Who is she?" she asked.


    "As a matter of fact, she has the same name as you," I tilted my head and smirked.


    Toph looked at me, confused for a second, as she tilted her head.


    "Tell me. Are you a psychopath?" she asked.


    "What?" I blinked twice. "No!"


    But honestly, I was wondering myself.


    I had been an ordinary man in my previous life. Someone who had been mentally conditioned by society. Killing was like a taboo. Our brains had been programmed to shake and act out of place in case we made a crime, even by accident. Yet, you know that policemen feel no hesitation when they pull the trigger and kill someone on their first day, and act as if they did something wrong.


    Here, in this world, I had killed consistently.


    I had started with the snitch.


    And I ended up with many bodies on my hands.


    But to be honest, I didn''t believe I did something wrong. At the same time, I didn''t know why I wasn''t acting as dramatically as I''d thought I would. That made me think there was something wrong with me.


    Well, it''s not like I considered it a big deal in the first place.


    "Okay, you''re not, and I don''t know what made you believe so. So, you were not lying," she demanded. "But it doesn''t matter. Hand me the method for metalbending now."


    Somehow, her comment made my eyelids twitch.


    Hold on a second. If I said I''m not a psychopath, and that makes me not one because I was lying¡­ what the hell! But hey, if Toph said so, what would it matter?


    I shrugged.


    Now, she was demanding the method to train in metalbending, and not in the most indirect or polite way.


    I sighed at her.


    Despite being older than the show, she was acting like a child.


    I decided to tease her a bit.


    "What if I don''t?" I crossed my arms.


    She put her hand under her chin as if thinking. "That''s a good question. I have many answers for that. Would you like to give me a rating?"


    "I''m not a scholar," I replied dismissively.


    "Okay, get down to the ring," she said. "I''ll smash the shit out of you. Then, you''ll be a good boy and do what you''re asked to."


    I rolled my eyes.


    Katara was looking at me strangely at first, her eyebrow narrowed. She had been told that I was here to pick some guy and spread the metalbending teachings.


    Yet now I was acting reluctant.


    Now that Toph was threatening me, Katara was shooting her glares.


    "So, you''re saying I should teach you because you''re going to beat me?" I replied.


    "Yes, easy peasy," she replied.


    "Okay," I sighed. "How about this then? Let''s have a bet. If we fight and I lose, I''ll teach you."


    I could somehow feel something she was trying to hide.


    I may not be good at reading emotions from the vibrations of the ground, but I could tell she was quite desperate.


    No. More than that, her ego was hurt.


    She, who considered herself the best earthbender in the world, couldn''t achieve what a bunch of old people had achieved.


    It was also fun to tease her.


    "You''re smarter than you look," she nodded.


    "Yeah, as if you looked at him and came to that conclusion after a careful examination," Katara interjected. "Why don''t you go away and play with the other earthbenders while you''ve got time, before I stand up and beat you up?"


    I raised an eyebrow and kept nodding, somehow feeling proud that she was standing up to Toph''s teasing.


    "Wait up there, little girl. I''ve got business to finish with your man. Don''t worry, I won''t steal him."


    Katara was about to stand up, but I held her still with a pat on the shoulder.


    "Okay," I said. "And what if I win?"


    "Hahaha. You still think you have a chance after what you saw?" she mocked, then got nearer and whispered in my ear. "To be honest, I was holding back, not to make things boring."


    "What if I win?" I asked again.


    "Like your girlfriend said then. Anything," Toph said, very confident she wouldn''t lose to me.


    I resisted the urge to smile. "You heard us?"


    "I read your lips," she replied. "Now, get to the ring."


    "Sorry, won''t do," I rejected and waved my hand.


    "But you just said you would fight!" she frowned.


    "Yes, I did," I nodded.


    "Why are you backing out now?" she asked loudly, putting her hands on my shoulder. Damn, she was strong for her size. I could already feel some pain in my shoulders.


    "If I win, I''ll lose my money. Go there, finish the tournament, and we''ll have a fight," I said.


    "I just have one more fight left. Don''t move from your place. It''ll be quick," she furrowed her brows. I could tell she was a little pissed off. Well, it wasn''t a problem to me if she had to delay her business with me.


    Wait a second. Could she be losing on purpose because I teased her and she was in a hurry? She was already rich, so the tournament money wouldn''t mean anything to her.


    I handed the gambling ticket to Katara and said, "Change the bet. Quickly."


    Katara nodded, not understanding why, but she did as she was told.


    Toph''s next opponent came.


    Toph raised her hand.


    "I give up. I''m too tired. You win."


    "Huh?"


    "You heard me," she said, then jumped off the ring.


    There was an uproar. The referee, the competitors, and everyone else were in an uproar.


    My eyes were on Katara. She gave me a thumbs-up.


    -x-X-x-


    "Okay," I smiled.


    Currently, we were outside.


    It was getting late, and it was night.


    "It''s getting late, shouldn''t you be at your parents'' house?" I asked her. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m on the run," she replied. "Not the first time."


    ''Too much detail,'' I thought but didn''t voice it.


    If memory didn''t betray me, at the show, when she was 12, she was frustrated with her parents treating her like a disabled child and overprotecting her to the point that people didn''t even know they had her as a daughter.


    Most of the earthbenders I knew had tanned or slightly tanned skin.


    But Toph was so pale she could be called white.


    Her skin looked like it could be eaten alone.


    I raised my head, looking at the sky, thinking of a pink elephant to wash away the impure thought. I didn''t want her to feel my blood pumping somewhere.


    "Okay, we''re going to start," I declared.


    "Just so you know, there''s no water source nearby," she said.


    "You''re afraid that it won''t be fair for me."


    "I just don''t want to hear you nagging after you get beaten up. Well, nothing will change, with or without water."


    "Okay."


    I placed my hands in my pockets.


    Toph took her bending stance, and I looked straight at her.


    My saliva started gathering in my mouth.


    At the same time, I decided to use some of my saved-up experience points.


    [Steaming up to level 10]


    [Steaming up to level 11]


    [90K accumulated experience points have been used]


    Waterbending wasn''t deadly because it could just freeze, or it could be easily manipulated, pushed, or pulled. But also, with the right pressure, water could be sharp, and it could even slice metal. The most common problem for a waterbender was the volume of water. But with steaming, that volume can expand significantly.


    "Seriously, spitting at me?" Toph furrowed her eyebrows, clenched her fists, and stomped on the ground.


    A big wave of earth flew from her feet, making the earth tremble while dust flew off the ground in a straight line heading in my direction.


    I thought about stomping back. Yes, I had been around earthbenders a lot, to the point I knew how they bend, but that wasn''t my style.


    The spit I had sent earlier didn''t fall on the ground or touch Toph''s face yet.


    It floated in a straight line toward her.


    At the same time, I was in a bit of trouble myself.


    I had to dodge.


    So, I jumped to the side.


    Toph, seemingly having predicted this, waved her hand in a chopping motion, sending a flying rock toward me.


    Thanks to my martial arts skill tree, I tilted my head backward a bit. The rock grazed my skin.


    "I''m still going easy. Don''t you want to give up yet?" she asked.


    "Well," I replied, "I''m gonna cook you now."


    "With what? Those small eggs?" she taunted.


    I pointed at her with my hand, unaffected by her useless taunt.


    The spit I had floating next to her suddenly vaporized.


    Toph, who could see through the ground, couldn''t see what was flying in the air.


    So, a wave of sudden heat must have startled her.


    What started as a small drop of water expanded largely, putting her in an oven-like state.


    I pressed the steam as I clapped my hands, pushing it forward. The steam moved in a straight line. She crossed her arms. I focused the steam on certain parts, making cuts in her arms around the corner and one cut on her cheek that caused blood to start flowing. Scalds appeared on her skin instantly. If I had wanted, I could have focused all of the steam around her head. Also, it seemed I had underestimated the heat of the steam after leveling up twice in a row.


    "That was one of a kind spit roast," she yelled in pain, tears welling up in her eyes. She raised her hand, "Seems I''m trapped in this hot thing. Steam?"


    "You got it," I replied.


    "No wonder that spit took forever to fall," she sighed.


    Despite her best effort to appear tough, she groaned and flinched in pain.


    I walked to her, grabbed a bottle of water from my waist.


    "What are you doing?" she asked. "Are you going to abuse a lady in pain?"


    "Shut up," I replied as I bent the water to move around her and circled it around her body.


    "They''re healing," she said, blinking a few times. "It tickles as well."


    "So they always say," I replied, focusing on her wounds. The scalds vanished into thin air. The skin didn''t regenerate; instead, it went back to its place and became normal and healthy.


    "It even helps with the bones," she added as I held her hand and circled the water around her arm.


    "You know, I can help with that too," Katara, who was standing on the side, said all of a sudden.


    "No need," I pulled my hand away. "I''ve already finished."


    Then I stood up to my full height.


    Seeing that I was on a winning streak when it came to bets, I decided to tease the girls.


    I''d won two bets in one day.


    The price was obviously...


    "So, anything, huh?" I smiled smugly.

 Chapter 51 - 51

    Toph looked at me stoically, but her cheeks suddenly burned red.


    I mean, a girl like her¡ªwho could sense an entire population going about their private business¡ªcouldn''t possibly miss a dirty joke.


    ''Man, it must be traumatizing to see your parents having sex without meaning to. No wonder Toph wanted to escape her home,'' I thought, but I kept that to myself. There were so many questions I wanted to ask her, but they were so inappropriate that even I didn''t dare.


    "For the record, I held back because you didn''t seem to have any water. But..." Toph said, "I''m not going to back out of my end of the deal. And I''ve seen the way you look at me, so I won''t mind."


    Before Katara could say anything¡ªToph was seriously getting on her nerves¡ªI stepped in.


    "So, why does everyone think I want sex?" I asked directly. "And how exactly did I look at you?"


    Sure, I did. Who doesn''t? But that''s not what I wanted from her. Though she wasn''t bad looking, my relationship with Katara was still fresh, and I wasn''t bored.


    "Yeah, how exactly did he look at you?" Katara crossed her arms, standing in front of Toph, scoffing and bending down to her level.


    "I wonder too. I can''t see, after all," Toph replied smugly.


    "Urgh..." Katara was holding back a scream.


    "So, what''s your demand?" Toph ignored her and asked me.


    I pondered a bit.


    I could tell her to follow me.


    But that would make her feel forced.


    "It''s okay. I''ll teach you metalbending. It''s not like you haven''t passed the requirements already," I said. "We''re currently on a mission to spread metalbending and dustbending to help the Earth Kingdom hold back the Fire Nation. If you''d like to follow us for now, that would be great. If not, I''ll just teach you metalbending."


    Of course, since I knew Toph was a runaway child, I knew she''d take me up on my offer.


    If she didn''t, I would have ordered her around.


    Yes, I might be an asshole.


    But I needed her for the sake of freedom¡ªmine included, which was most important to me.


    "For sure. Tell me how to bend metal," she said.


    I reached into my pocket and grabbed a golden coin.


    Seeing it, I put it back, fished around again, and pulled out silver and copper coins. I put the silver one back and tossed the copper coin to Toph.


    She caught it.


    "You have to understand, it''s not about metalbending. It''s about bending the earth particles within the metal. Usually, when an earthbender learns this, I have them bend the smallest amount of earth and then split it, over and over, until it becomes so small they can feel the earth particles. Since..."


    I looked at her feet, wondering why they were still pretty despite her walking barefoot all the time.


    "Since you can see through your feet¡ªor skin¡ªyou can definitely see the earth inside the metal."


    "Now that you mention it, you''re right," she said, holding the coin between her fingers and playing with it. After tossing it a few times, the coin started shifting shape. Toph waved her fingers, and the coin twisted further.


    ''Okay, Haru may be very talented, but compared to Toph, his talent is trash. Well, to be fair, Toph met the requirements for metalbending a long time ago,'' I thought.


    Toph chuckled. "So that was the trick. Can''t believe I missed it this whole time."


    "Maybe because you weren''t exposed to much metal."


    "My parents never let me hold money or any kind of metal. I never had to buy anything because I had everything," she boasted. "Guess if I''d been thrown into that metal prison rig, I could''ve figured out metalbending on day one."


    I blinked twice and forced a smile. She had no idea how right she was.


    Katara clapped her hands and smiled, like I usually would.


    "Now that you''ve learned what you wanted, why don''t you leave? Maybe if you''re good, you can help other earthbenders learn it," Katara said.


    Toph narrowed her eyes and smirked. "Don''t worry, I won''t steal your guy. This is the second time I''m saying it."


    "Who said I''m worried?" Katara turned to me. "Ryuk, should I be worried?"


    I knew that if I teased her, I''d end up using my hand tonight.


    But then again, if I gave up every time because of the sex leverage she had, I''d turn from a man into a total pushover, and at the distance future, I would have to do the dishes to have some fun time. That would never happen.


    I decided to counter the trap question with another trap question.


    Time for a classic shonen anime protagonist reply.


    I reached into my pocket.


    I held my coins and counted them.


    "Don''t worry. She didn''t steal me," I said.


    "Ryuk!!!" Her eyes widened.


    "With the water sense I''ve developed, no thief can steal me. Blind or not," I replied, my lips twitching as I held back laughter. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Give me a direct answer," she demanded, desperate.


    I sighed and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, hugging her to my chest.


    "Relationships are about mutual desire. No one can steal anyone. The relationship ends when the mutual desire ends. Got it?"


    "Yes. But..."


    "No buts," I interjected. "You''ve got to understand that. If you want something to stop, it''s about what you feel¡ªnot about what others do. No one can steal me, or you. People just walk away."


    "Makes sense," Katara said, thinking over my words. "But how do you know that? Do you have experience in relationships?"


    "Yes. I''ve dated tons of women. Remember the prison rig? I seduced every female guard there," I deadpanned.


    I wasn''t going to play into her jealous act. Jealousy was fine by me, but it could get annoying.


    "Geez. You could''ve just said it was obvious." She replied.


    "Yes, even I can see that," Toph teased with a smile. In other words, even a blind girl could see it, but not you.


    Katara''s eyelids twitched.


    "Okay," I turned to Toph. "So, what''s your answer?"


    "I''ve got nothing to lose by following you. It could be fun," she admitted. "Besides, you''re pretty interesting. You have a water sense similar to mine. Also..." She stood beside me. "I can''t take that loss well since I didn''t go all out. So I can''t miss the chance to smack you back."


    She waved her hand at my back. But because she was short, it landed as a clap.


    I shot her a glare I''d only reserve for my worst enemies.


    "Meant to hit your back. Sorry, didn''t see it," she smirked. "Blame yourself for being tall."


    "Or blame yourself for being too short," Katara added, pulling me to the other side so she and Toph stood next to each other.


    ''Now that I think about it, where''s Sokka? He was talking to that big-boobed lady...'' I thought, looking around. ''Well, if he doesn''t show up by tomorrow, I''ll leave without him.''


    "That was a low hit," Toph sneered. "Let''s talk later after we¡ª"


    "Great, bounty hunters." I sighed, my water sense alerting me.


    Around the sparring area, trees and rocks provided cover, and behind many of them, people were hiding, clutching their weapons.


    "The hundred thousand gold isn''t a hundred thousand for nothing," said a familiar voice.


    Katara flinched, taking a waterbending stance. Water from her pouch floated beside her, ready for any sudden attack.


    I turned my head and saw the referee from the underground matches, along with the guys I''d thought were just staff.


    They said a hundred thousand gold¡ªthat meant they wanted to hand me over to the Fire Nation. I couldn''t blame them, though; I had thought of doing the same. The only difference was, in my version, I''d still be alive if I survived.


    "You could''ve attacked any other day," I said, a weird sensation of euphoria washing over me.


    Tears welled up in my eyes.


    Today was my luckiest day. I''d won all my gambles, and I was getting enemies at just the right time. It was so polite of them to let me finish my spar with Toph, too.


    "And?" he asked.


    I raised my hand to the sky. The moon shone brightly, casting its light over the forest.


    I could feel my chi raging calmly through my body, like my bending power was on steroids.


    Remember when I said I was more desperate to become a bloodbender than Vegeta was to become a Super Saiyan?


    "I''m so happy. Today is my luckiest day." I wiped my tears with my hand, ignoring the strange looks I was getting. "I hope your nuts have enough blood in them."

 Chapter 52 - 52

    "What a strange man," said the leader of the bounty hunters. "The only thing that''s going is your head to them and a hundred thousand golden coins in my pocket."


    I had no obligation to reply to him.


    All I saw in front of me were 20 punching bags that had appeared at the right time.


    I channeled my Chi, feeling the surge of strength within me.


    I felt as though I could create a tsunami single-handedly if I were in the ocean.


    That''s how much power I felt under the full moon.


    "How about this, then?" Katara stretched out her hand. The water from her pouch extended, forming two water whips, each ending in a sharp ice blade.


    Katara was already talented, as seen in the show. But thanks to my invented trick¡ªhealing the brain after training¡ªshe had picked up her lessons at an even more monstrous speed.


    "Good grief. I was hoping for a breather," Toph said to the leader. "This time, I won''t hold back."


    "Toph, why don''t you join us, and we''ll split the money equally?" he replied.


    "Money? Only poor folks like you think about that," she taunted, stepping forward. Each step she took created turmoil in the ground.


    I stretched out my left hand, stopping both Katara and Toph from moving.


    "Stay aside," I said, turning my head to the bounty hunters with an innocent smile. "They''re mine."


    A muscular, bare-chested earthbender seemed to take offense at my attempt to take them on alone.


    He stomped on the ground and raised both hands, as if pushing something.


    A circle appeared on the earth where I stood, and I found myself floating into the air. The earthbender who had lifted me wore a smug expression as he watched me rise.


    I didn''t know how to break it to them, but I, too, had been holding back.


    Thanks to the system, I had a set of skills that would allow me to kill them easily.


    But I wanted to use them to obtain bloodbending.


    I gathered saliva in my mouth and spat in their direction.


    The spit flew faster than anything they had ever seen.


    Suddenly, it turned into steam, enveloping them in a thick mist that quickly cooled.


    The split second their eyes lost sight of me was the moment I leaped off the rock and landed in the middle of their formation.


    Thanks to my Stealth Skill, I remained hidden as long as I stood in their blind spots. Of course, such a skill would be useless against someone like Toph¡ªunless it was at a higher level.


    I stood behind them while they looked left and right, confused.


    They muttered among themselves, wondering how spit could create a fog that blinded them. But they reassured themselves that the fog would dissipate soon, so they needed to stay alert for any sneak attacks.


    They were wrong.


    If I wanted, I could have taken their lives long ago.


    From this distance, freezing any one of them would take less than a second.


    With a simple touch, I could dehydrate them completely.


    Compared to these earthbenders, who had spent most of their lives fighting underground, I had far more lethal experience. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Where is that son of a bitch?" growled a giant earthbender, looking around as the fog began to thin.


    I crouched behind him, my hand positioned between his legs.


    "Playing with your kids," I joked as I focused on the water inside his body.


    A moving tent appeared in his pants, shifting left and right.


    At the same time, I mentally controlled two connected spheres, hitting them against each other.


    "Mamma!" he screamed in pain.


    I took a step back and made a pulling motion. The earthbender was dragged by an invisible force, screaming until he passed out.


    Now, you might think these guys were allies¡ªearthbenders blinded by greed, deciding to hand me over to the Fire Nation. I didn''t blame them for that.


    But there was one thing.


    Even though I didn''t blame them, showing mercy would only encourage more bounty hunters to see me as naive prey.


    I didn''t need that kind of annoyance in my life.


    And honestly, I wasn''t lacking sources of experience. Common earthbenders couldn''t provide the same experience points as the monsters I could find in forests and deadly alleys.


    [Defeating a strong earthbender]


    [+5000 experience points]


    "Okay, who''s next?" I said.


    The surprised earthbenders quickly took their stances and launched earth projectiles at me from every direction.


    I channeled my Chi, creating a defensive aura.


    [The full moon has provided its power to the host]


    [The spirit of the moon is lending its power to the host.]


    [All effects boosted by 200%]


    The earth projectiles flew toward me from all sides.


    A visible blue aura danced around my body like steam.


    I tried to dodge the attacks, but a few struck me.


    However, I noticed something strange.


    When the rocks hit me, the blue aura didn''t act as a solid barrier. Instead, it behaved like a slippery, fluid substance. Each rock that hit me was pushed away by the aura, which seemed to pull and then push the rocks aside.


    ''More like a waterbending barrier,'' I thought to myself before deactivating the aura, as it was energy-consuming.


    "You''re truly evil, just as the Fire Nation has portrayed you!" yelled the leader of the bounty hunters.


    I raised my hand, forming a V symbol. At the same time, I focused on the water I wanted to bend. With a twist of my wrist, every male present¡ªexcept for me¡ªfell to their knees, moaning in pain.


    "Do you know who my first kill was?" I said as I walked around. "It was a traitor who snitched on Katara for being a waterbender."


    "I don''t care what people like you think of me¡ªwhether I''m evil or not. I can forgive Fire Nation soldiers for following orders. But I can''t forgive people like you, who betray their own for money or power."


    Katara, seeing everyone groaning in pain, approached me.


    "How did you do that?" she asked.


    Toph, who could sense what had happened, didn''t give a direct answer. "It''s like metalbending. You look for the little water¡­"


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Katara asked.


    "Remember, Katara, when we have sex, and then suddenly remember we might have children?"


    "Oh, like when I or you would bend it. But this time, it can''t get out, so it moves the organs. Oh my god. That''s evil," she said, her eyes widening in realization. She covered her mouth with her hands.


    The man who had called me evil, now groaning in pain, mustered his courage and said, "See? Even your woman agrees you''re evil¡­ Argh!"


    Katara pointed her hand at him and pulled backward.


    The man groaned in agony.


    "I see," Katara said. "Since testicles are small, they''re easy to move."


    I was surprised she had learned it so quickly.


    Then again, she had mastered bloodbending in a single day in the show.


    And today was the full moon.


    That old lady who could only bloodbend small rats could control a crowd under the full moon.


    Never underestimate a waterbender under the full moon.


    "Just so you know, it''s not just men who have¡­ fluids. Just saying," I said.


    In other words, don''t mess with me, or I''ll mess with you.


    "I know," she smirked, glancing at Toph. Then she looked at the men groaning in pain and asked, "So, what do we do with them?" There was a hint of sympathy in her expression.


    I pointed at them and said, "If we don''t make an example of them, more bounty hunters will come after us. I''ll leave one alive to spread the tale."


    One by one, the earthbender bounty hunters began to freeze.


    The night, which hadn''t started cold, ended in icy stillness.


    Toph hugged her arms, shivering. "That''s some really cold ice. Are all waterbenders this strong?"


    Katara replied, "No. It''s just Ryuk who''s very good."


    [+75,000 experience points]


    [Skill Tree: Waterbending has unlocked a new skill]


    [+ Skill: Pre-Bloodbending]


    [You can now bend blood under the Full Moon]


    [To unlock further power-ups, increase your spiritual power]

 Chapter 53 - 53

    Ryuk looked at the last bounty hunter earthbender, who turned and started to escape.


    Not going after him, Ryuk watched as the man recovered from the hellish pain, crawled, and ran away.


    "Would it be a good idea to let him go? You should think more about it." Katara lifted her hands and pulled backward, causing the man to fall, holding his groin in pain and screaming. She didn''t want to let him go, not after they had tried to murder her boyfriend and hand him over to the Fire Nation. Not only that, but she was already pissed off. Toph had gotten under her skin, and she needed some breathing room.


    Ryuk put his hand on her back and said, "Let him go. I need someone to spread the tale so no one else dares to attack us in the future."


    Toph shared her opinion. "The earthbenders are straightforward people. They''re greedy, most of those who fight underground are. If you let one of them go, he''ll gather more people and attack you."


    Since she was 12, Toph had fought in underground tournaments. It had become her hobby after she started running away from home. Her routine was simple: escape, fight, have her parents send someone to get her, and then pretend to be a lost blind girl.


    But thanks to her four years of traveling, the Blind Bandit had seen things most people never would in their whole lives.


    Not only was her vision broad, but she also had no blind spot and could see beyond walls.


    She had seen all kinds of people, and she knew one thing:


    You can''t trust greedy people not to backstab you.


    Ryuk seemed like a nice guy, a fun one, and she didn''t want her fun journey to end before it began.


    Ryuk looked at Toph and sighed.


    "Don''t sigh at me. It''s advice from the heart," she pouted.


    "You don''t know men," Ryuk smiled smugly.


    Toph let out a mocking chuckle. "You''d be surprised by what I know. These greedy guys won''t let you go. They''d risk their lives, and each of them will think, ''He spares some people. Why shouldn''t I be the one he spares if I try my luck?''"


    "I guess you''ve seen a lot. So tell me, what would these greedy people spend their money on?"


    "Women, mostly," she replied.


    Men spend money on women in different ways: gifts, houses, and all sorts of things to satisfy their desires.


    She paused for a second. It might be about lust and not greed after all.


    "Not with twisted balls," Ryuk replied.


    He was certain no one would risk getting their balls twisted.


    At best, that escaping man would send his worst enemies and most hated people to experience hell at Ryuk''s hands.


    Toph tried to argue back. "Family. You can still spend money on family. You have to feed them."


    Ryuk shook his finger. "You can''t have a family without your balls."


    "Hmmm¡­" Toph lowered her head. "So it''s all about balls in the end. But what if you''re already married? You have nothing to lose."


    Ryuk smiled and shook his head.


    Although Toph''s personality was quite hard to deal with, she was surprisingly easy to talk to.


    Besides, she seemed to be the kind of straightforward person who spoke her mind. She wasn''t sneaky and could be trusted.


    Katara could also be trusted, and she was quite a caring woman.


    "Okay, I believe we''ve forgotten about my brother," Katara said, covering her mouth.


    -x-X-x-


    It didn''t take long for the rumors to start spreading that night. By morning, everyone knew what Ryuk had done to the bounty hunters, who happened to be the elites of underground earthbending tournaments.


    The news didn''t stop in this city; it spread fast.


    By morning, Ryuk was the main topic.


    Many people considered going after him: those deep in debt, those who desperately needed money, and those who believed that a portion of his bounty would make them rich for the rest of their lives without working.


    They all reconsidered.


    Even the idea of handing Ryuk over to a friendly city in the Earth Kingdom was reconsidered, since that guy could bend the nuts.


    That day, Ryuk wasn''t just the Coldest Nightmare of the Fire Nation.


    He was the Nightmare of every man in the world.


    An image of an evil waterbender doing unspeakable things.


    From that day on, a new legend was born.


    Mothers would scare their children, telling them that if they didn''t study or do their chores, Ryuk would visit them. And seeing how his name made the adults sweat, the children would believe they might get hurt.


    "Achoo¡­" Ryuk rubbed his nose while looking at Sokka, who was sitting in the corner of the motel room.


    "Where were you last night?" Ryuk asked. He was standing at the motel door, and it just so happened that Sokka had spent the night there.


    Sokka looked at Ryuk and sighed deeply. "She was married."


    "Who?" Ryuk asked, not knowing what Sokka was talking about since he had spent all night making up with Katara. Toph had played on her nerves a lot, and contrary to what he had thought, he didn''t end up using his hand. In fact, Katara had topped him, doing all the work and squeezing him dry.


    The only problem was that Sokka was here, so his sister couldn''t just walk out of his room. She was just that shy.


    "The love of my life," Sokka said, his voice grim and his eyes swollen. "Can we talk inside your room?"


    "Sorry, it''s a mess," Ryuk replied.


    "How messy can it be?" Sokka asked.


    "Messy enough to traumatize you."


    "Geez," he grimaced. "Anyway, that lady yesterday, she made me accompany her all day. But by the end, she told me she was married."


    "Man, that''s sad," Ryuk replied. "Did you do her?"


    "No. What kind of monster do you think I am, to do that to someone''s wife?" Sokka replied.


    "I''m proud of you," said Ryuk. "Let''s have some breakfast."


    "I have no money, and I haven''t hunted," Sokka replied.


    "It''s on me today. Eat as much as you want," Ryuk extended his hand to him.


    "Thanks." Sokka took Ryuk''s hand and stood up.


    After they walked out, Katara snuck out of Ryuk''s room.


    -x-X-x-


    The sun shone brightly, and I looked at the sky.


    The feeling of empowerment provided by the full moon had gone away.


    After resting last night, I had pondered a lot about my pre-bloodbending and how to get to the next level.


    You might be wondering, "Ryuk, you have bounty hunters after you, and you dare to sleep in their city?"


    I had a trick to sleep less. It didn''t take me more than an hour of sleep to feel fresh.


    Well, Katara and I shared a ritual before bed. We would heal each other''s bodies from toxins. I would do this more for Katara since she had been training, and healing her brain allowed her to speed up the process, which turned her into an asset.


    And you might be wondering, "What do you do when you don''t sleep?"


    Thankfully, Katara didn''t sleep either.


    As for what we did¡­


    Of course, it''s grinding.


    But it''s not about grinding levels.


    Back to the main topic.


    I had pondered a lot about yesterday.


    Pre-bloodbending.


    I hadn''t been able to learn bloodbending, not because my Waterbending skill was lacking, but because my spiritual power was less than required. It made sense. The crazy woman who invented bloodbending could only do it when the moon was full. Other than that, only Amon''s family could do it without the full moon. Not even Katara could do it without the full moon.


    Now, I could think of two ways to fix that:


    One, increase the Chi bending level, which would increase the Chi efficiency, get my bending response faster, and thus my spiritual power.


    Two, I could look for methods to increase that power directly. Wan Shi Tong''s library might have what I need.


    That was one more reason to visit the library and have Toph with me¡ªthe main reason would be to know when the comet would strike.


    I mean, it would allow me to think of the best course of action. If the comet had more than a year to descend, it means that the Avatar isn''t meant to emerge yet.


    If it has, let''s say, 6 months, that would be an emergency to launch a full-scale attack on the Fire Nation. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I may even ask our cousin tribe in the North Pole to help them with learning metalbending faster.


    "So, what are you thinking?" asked Sokka.


    Currently, we were in a rented carriage heading to Omashu.


    When you have money, it''s easy to even have space for your tiger to travel with you. The driver was a very nice person and polite. When I asked him if I could bring my tiger, he smiled and waved his hand, saying it was fine.


    Though, I thought I should try to heal him later. He''d been sweating while talking to me, which is a bad health indicator.


    Toph was petting Lucy, while Katara was playing with a small water bead in the air, splitting it into the smallest beads as much as possible for her.


    "Nothing much," I answered Sokka. "We may stop on the road."


    Stopping on the road would give me occasional experience points. After all, traveling the kingdom on land was much different than using a flying bison.


    I opened the system and looked at my accumulated experience points.


    I had around 330,000 XP.


    My Chi bending was at level 11.


    ''This will get me to level 13. In waterbending, that''s grandmaster level. Let''s see.''

 Chapter 54 - 54

    [300k experience points have been used.]


    [Chi bending has leveled up.]


    [You have achieved the level of a beginner grandmaster.]


    [Chi bending has been elevated.]


    [Chi bending level 13.]


    [You have achieved the level of a complete grandmaster.]


    [You can now absorb Chi from the atmosphere and spiritual places to increase spiritual energy. Recommended places compatible with host: Ocean and Full Moon days.]


    Great, I''ve become a Superman who now needs the ocean or the moon.


    [Chi usage has been reduced by 70%.]


    [You can now use Chi outside the body and shoot it.]


    [The effects of previous skills have been upgraded by 50%.]


    [Waterbending Skill Tree has detected a compatible skill tree.]


    [You have now unlocked Bloodbending.]


    Numerous notifications hit my ears.


    Despite the continuous ''Ding'' sounds, a big smile appeared on my face.


    It drew the attention of everyone here.


    "Someone looks happy," Katara said, looking at me strangely. "What''s so funny?"


    Right now, I was just lying on Lucy''s fur, smiling like an idiot.


    Of course, I''d look like an idiot since no one but me could see the system''s screen.


    "Well, he didn''t orgasm, that''s for sure," Toph commented.


    "Can''t you hear how ridiculous you sound?" Katara replied, annoyed.


    I raised my hand and said, "I just remembered something funny from the past."


    "Seriously? You guys have funny stuff at the South Pole?" Toph wondered, pointing at Sokka with her thumb. "This guy said you only had old people and children to take care of, and he boasted that he taught you how to fish."


    "He''s lying," I replied. "But his sister taught me waterbending."


    "The basics of the basics," Katara replied. "But you discovered the rest on your own and ended up becoming my teacher."


    "That only means your talent is just as bad," Toph said.


    Katara raised her hand and made a V symbol while turning her head toward Toph.


    Toph quickly reached out, grabbed Sokka by the shoulder, and pulled him in front of her. The earthbenders had strong bodies, so she could carry him with one arm.


    Sokka quickly held his crotch and winced in pain.


    "What the hell¡­" Sokka groaned.


    "Oops¡­ Sorry," Katara replied, biting her tongue.


    I smiled, amused.


    This would be the perfect time to use the weed I''d looted from the Fire Nation.


    At least, that is, until I find a dangerous place to learn bloodbending.


    Well, not exactly learn, but test it.


    The system had a great feature called instant learning when leveling up.


    Man¡­.


    I closed my eyes and decided to forget about bloodbending for a moment. Though I wouldn''t forget it anytime soon¡ªI''d been dying to achieve it¡ªI decided to think about Chi bending.


    Apparently, I could now increase my own spiritual power by breathing in the air.


    Not only that, but I could use the Chi outside my body.


    I was so curious that I didn''t want to test it in secret.


    I raised my hand and looked at it.


    A blue, steam-like aura appeared above my hand. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What are you doing?" Sokka asked, seeming to have recovered.


    "Just using my bending energy," I explained simply. I pointed my hand at the ceiling and shot the energy.


    A blue beam of light shot from my hand and pierced the ceiling.


    I felt 25% of my energy deplete.


    But it was worth it.


    It was so instant, so fast, and so damaging.


    A perfect hole was created in the wooden ceiling.


    "Sorry. I''ll pay for that," I yelled.


    "Are you sure that''s steam?" Katara looked up. "Doesn''t feel like one."


    "I didn''t feel anything," said Toph. "What did you do?"


    "Aren''t you supposed to not see when your feet aren''t touching the ground?"


    "Though I wonder how you know that. Yes. But I''m still wondering what you did. I''m not deaf, you know," she scolded.


    "Don''t worry about it. A technique I''m working on," I said. "Speaking of techniques, there''s something I want to do."


    "Is it about waterbending?" Katara asked, sounding interested.


    "Yes," I nodded.


    "Can I tag along?" she asked.


    "Sure," I gave her a thumbs up.


    -x-X-x-


    "I don''t recommend stopping by this place," the carriage driver advised as we stopped in front of a valley.


    Dead trees were scattered all around.


    The land seemed dry and lacked any source of water.


    Not to mention, the smell of rotten flesh and the metallic scent of blood filled the air.


    "He''s got a point," Toph said, putting her hand on the ground. "There are beasts¡ªlarge ones¡ªliving underground. They''re like insects. Ewww¡­ Cockroaches¡­ but big ones."


    "What''s a cockroach?" Katara asked.


    "Why, don''t you have insects at the South Pole?" Toph asked, genuinely confused.


    Katara and Sokka looked at each other, sounding equally confused.


    "She''s talking about the little animals," I said, looking forward, remembering my PTSD from facing that giant centipede. "They couldn''t possibly survive the cold, Toph. So no, other than beasts that can survive the cold weather, there aren''t any."


    "Makes sense. And here I thought you guys were living under a rock¡­ well, rocks have insects under them," Toph shrugged. "Anyways, are you serious about going in there with your woman just to test new techniques? Shouldn''t you wait for new bounty hunters to show up?"


    She seemed to be the voice of reason.


    "Yes. I don''t want my sister to get trapped by beasts in a closed location," Sokka said, glaring at me threateningly.


    "But I want to go, and I''ll be fine," Katara argued with Sokka.


    "But you won''t have enough water. It''s too dangerous to go," Sokka insisted.


    "You know, animals, big or small, all breed," I raised my hand. "In the worst case, Katara won''t be trapped. The beasts will be trapped with her."


    "Fine. But I swear if anything happens to her¡­"


    "So, you''re saying she''s my responsibility?"


    "Obviously," he crossed his arms, scowling.


    "Thanks for acknowledging me, brother-in-law," I smiled and bumped his shoulder with my fist.


    A few veins appeared on his face, but he didn''t say a word.


    And so, I walked with Katara into the valley.


    "I''m excited," I admitted after we had put some distance between us.


    Katara looked at me with wide eyes.


    She scolded, "Unbelievable. Just because you got excited and wanted some alone time, you brought me to the most dangerous place possible."


    "Uh¡­" I looked at her, my jaw dropping a bit. I think she misunderstood what I meant by excitement.


    "Don''t give me the ''Uh.'' Couldn''t you hold yourself back a little until we found a private place? My brother is worried to death." she replied, blushing a bit. She seemed flattered and angry at the same time but she suppressed her happiness and tried to keep a scowling face.


    "That''s not what I was excited about," I said, about to clear up the misunderstanding.


    But then, a giant centipede, about 5 meters long, appeared.


    I pointed at it.


    "What?" Katara yelped, raising her guard and grabbing water from her water pouch.


    "That''s a small one," I commented, thinking about how I should approach bloodbending.


    The system had allowed me to gain instant muscle memory when I leveled up.


    But this time, I didn''t gain a new level. Instead, I received the movement set for bloodbending.


    ''Should I try to bend with my mind, or should I familiarize myself with the blood?''


    "Ryuk," Katara said. "I don''t think we can bend this one."


    I smirked. "What else does it have besides the liquid of life?"


    She rolled her eyes. "Flesh, bones, blood, power enough to kill us."


    The centipede stood tall before charging at us.


    I pointed my hands at it, then thrust to the left.


    The small centipede''s trajectory shifted, and it flew into a nearby rock.


    "God, this is heavy," I complained. ''I need more practice, the moon, or more spiritual power.''


    I waved my hands again, making the creature float in the air before slamming it down.


    "What in the Polar Bears is that?" Katara was clearly dazed. "You''re bending its whole body."


    "Yes," I replied. Feeling a bit tired, I decided to finish the fight. As I lifted the centipede for another slam, its body froze completely. When it hit the ground, it shattered into pieces.


    [Defeating a young 20-year-old Centipede King]


    [+8k accumulated experience points.]


    "That''s bloodbending," I panted. "Well, the first part of it. The human body is mostly made of water. If you can bend the water, you can freeze it. If not, just focus on freezing the blood."


    "It feels quite heavy," she said.


    Only then did I realize she was pointing her hands at me. I could feel a slight tingle, but she was quite weak.


    She got the hang of it instantly, but she wasn''t capable of doing it yet.


    I gave her a glare, a look of shock and betrayal.


    "What? I was being gentle," Katara smiled bitterly.


    "What about that?" I pointed at the centipede.


    "You see how big that thing is?" she asked.


    "Forget about it," I said. "Don''t attempt it until the full moon. Well, actually, you have tonight and tomorrow."


    "Why? Wasn''t the full moon yesterday?"


    "It lasts between two and three days."


    "Awesome," she said. "I get why you were excited now."


    "We''ll have to do plenty of practice," I replied, looking at her. "For now, we should practice until we no longer need the full moon. Well, that''s in your case, if you can do it."


    In my case, I would keep practicing until I could do it with my mind.


    And with the ability to increase my Chi in the ocean or during the full moon, I''d definitely have an easier time in a few months or years. Anyways, I might need to increase my Chi bending levels.


    "I don''t know. It seems interesting," Katara said.


    I didn''t think she''d approve of this technique, unlike in the original timeline. But in the original timeline, the old crazy woman used bloodbending to kidnap innocent civilians of the Fire Nation. Well, not innocent, but not as criminal as soldiers.


    "It can be painful, very powerful, and considered very evil."


    "More evil than what you did last night?" she asked.


    "No¡­ But it''s not about Evil or Good. Bending is a tool, and you can use it accordingly." I scratched my chin. I felt a pang of guilt, to be honest. But I had desperately wanted to be a bloodbender. Imagine how awesome it would be to go to the Fire Nation, invade the Fire Lord''s palace, bloodbend everyone, humiliate them, and end the war before walking out.


    "Makes sense," she said, her voice worried. "Besides, with this, it''ll be easy to protect our people if the Fire Nation decides to go after the South Pole."


    "No need to worry. They have a bunch of metalbenders and dustbenders expanding knowledge about explosives and metalbending to worry about," I said. "Let''s continue hunting small animals."


    "Remind me what''s small again?" Katara asked, giving the remains of the centipede a side glance.

 Chapter 55 - 55

    Two weeks later, as Ryuk and his group were traveling on land, practicing and hunting together, the continent wasn''t as calm as their journey.


    The continent wasn''t as peaceful as everyone had thought it would be. Well, it had been at war. However, the tides of the war had started to shift ever since a group of a hundred benders began spreading across the continent, teaching metalbending and dustbending.


    Many cities had acquired the training methods for these new types of sub-bending.


    Moreover, it was advised that they focus on dustbending, especially glass bending and explosive powder bending.


    Currently, one of the men Ryuk had taught was standing before the door of a city occupied by the Fire Nation, leading a small rebellion.


    Haru, with around 10 men, was running in one direction.


    Behind them, there were around 400 soldiers.


    They had just been caught trying to free the earthbender prisoners from the metal prison.


    Haru turned his head, avoiding fire streams aimed at him as he ran.


    "Haru¡­"


    "Not yet¡­ Wait¡­ wait¡­" Haru thought, as Ryuk would have, and did the same. "Now!"


    As he yelled, the earthbenders turned, stomped, and pushed forward.


    The dust rose from the ground, moving in the opposite direction and creating a strong wind current.


    The firebenders covered their faces.


    The earthbenders didn''t stop with just spreading the dust. Instead, they bent it into different forms, compressing it into tornadoes and moving them into different spots.


    The explosive powder had the potential to spread, and they didn''t want to be caught in it.


    "Now, create friction!" Haru ordered.


    The dust hit against each other, creating sparks.


    BOOM BOOM BOOM


    Although the explosive powder didn''t have the same explosive power or ingredients as a full-scale bomb, it was enough. Ryuk had taught him that stronger explosive dust could be made by mixing higher-grade materials that required a higher temperature to explode. But as long as there was charcoal and sulfur, it would suffice.


    The force of the 400 soldiers had been reduced to barely a hundred. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The earthbenders, who had been running, changed direction and started chasing after the fire soldiers. Since the latter were wearing metallic armor, it was easier to deal with them. Without a significant numerical advantage, the earthbenders ¡ª now metalbenders ¡ª could hold their own.


    The Fire Nation''s greatest asset, their technology and armor, was now working against them. One couldn''t simply be a good soldier or firebender when they found themselves flying in the air or worse, being thrown into their allies.


    The soldiers began retreating back to the city, either to get more backup, hostages, or whatever else they could manage.


    One of the earthbenders pulled something from his pocket.


    A black rock.


    He threw it in their direction.


    Haru clapped his hands, and the rock suddenly turned to dust, which spread into a cloud.


    Boom¡­


    The soldiers who didn''t die collapsed, suffering severe injuries and burns.


    Haru looked at the earthbender who threw the rock.


    That rock wasn''t just any rock.


    It was compressed explosive powder.


    One of their group had come up with this idea ¡ª a dust grenade. It could only be made by earthbenders, since only they could compress and decompress earth.


    But to make it effective, the dust needed to be spread before it exploded, so it could cover a larger area.


    "It''s finally over¡­" commented a middle-aged man.


    "Yeah," Haru wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Honestly, I thought we were going to die."


    "Thankfully, we set traps in advance," said Tyro.


    "Yeah. Ryuk''s way of fighting is really efficient. Though, I wonder why he didn''t continue fighting," added Zaru, Tyro''s friend.


    Haru interjected, "I may be wrong, but didn''t the Fire Nation send a massive force from all directions a few days after we left, and we were chased across the road? If we had stayed, wouldn''t we have died?"


    "I was about to say that."


    "Hey, I''m not stupid. I''m just saying he could have figured out something."


    "Like what?"


    "I''m not him to think like him."


    Haru smiled.


    He and the metalbenders entered the city to take it over. They went to the prison, a place made entirely of metal, to cripple the powers of the earthbenders. But it did nothing to stop the metalbenders from freeing their companions.


    The prison held around 200 prisoners. 150 of them were earthbenders, and the rest were just ordinary criminals who had committed crimes against the Fire Nation. Of course, the enemy of the enemy is a friend.


    Once everyone was freed and the city was under control, the metalbenders politely asked the Fire Nation colonizers to leave through the front door, leaving behind food and money.


    Similar events were happening across the continent. Some metalbenders weren''t as patient and thought they should gather forces and attack nearby bases. Of course, not all of them succeeded. After all, numerical advantage is an absolute advantage at a certain scale, and a capable strategist would be a tough opponent.


    But the good news was that metalbending was spreading. Those who couldn''t learn it at least drew up manuals and wrote instructions on how to learn it before sending them to nearby places.


    -x-X-x-


    Two weeks later.


    I placed my hand on top of my head and looked at the city in the distance. It was still far away, but there it was, nestled between the mountains ¡ª the city of Omashu. It was considered a kingdom of its own.


    "Such geography and location. It''ll prevent the Fire Nation from invading and make defense easier," I remarked.


    "I guess it''s still so far away since I can''t see it," Toph yawned, looking ahead.


    Over the last two weeks, the group had grown closer as they traveled together.


    Toph was the friendly, teasing type of girl, always throwing out comments you couldn''t take seriously. Occasionally, she''d complain about bugs and mosquitoes, but she was quite useful.


    She could detect danger, underground water sources, and even hidden beasts that liked to attack from beneath. She''d occasionally hunt small animals for dinner or lunch.


    Katara had been practicing her new form of bending, bloodbending. During the three days of the full moon, she had quickly mastered it, thanks to her talent and my training.


    She still couldn''t bend humans without the full moon, but at least she could bend small animals. And she was learning how to move them on her own.


    Sokka was just an annoying overprotective brother.


    On the other hand, I could move humans completely. But I was limited by the quantity.


    My guess was that once I leveled up again ¡ª be it through waterbending or chi bending ¡ª I''d be able to bend a countless number.


    Well, it wasn''t like I was helpless without bloodbending. Nut bending was already handy and easier to do.


    Most importantly, steam bending was incredibly overpowered, considering how I could turn a small amount of water into a large volume with it.


    And I had been gaining a lot of experience points over the past two weeks from my occasional hunts, and my waterbending was halfway to leveling up.


    [Waterbending level 14 (200,000/400,000)]


    It just so happened that I had 300k experience points, which I planned to use later.


    "Ryuk¡­ I need your help," Toph suddenly called me, holding a skinned rabbit in a bowl.


    "Sure," I replied. "What is it?"


    "Can you steam this?" she asked.


    "Sure," I answered.


    -x-X-x-


    In the mountain range.


    A scout from the Fire Nation had been observing.


    Ever since discovering metalbending and dustbending, the Fire Nation had been on high alert.


    They didn''t mind that some small cities had picked it up.


    But the real problem would be when a major city got hold of these new bending techniques and explosive formulas.


    The Fire Nation had increased the number of scouts and squads near major cities.


    To see Ryuk, who became a symbol himself, was quite huge surprise. Expected, but a huge surprise.


    "Look at that. There is only four of them, and just a pet," smirked one of the scouts while having a bead of sweat dropping from his chin.

 Chapter 56 - 56

    Ryuk walked with the group, carrying a large backpack on his back.


    After sharing a meal with Toph and the rest, they continued their march toward Omashu.


    Given the distance, the trip would only take a few more hours, and that was what he hoped for.


    At the same time, Toph was looking down at the ground.


    She seemed to be in a bad mood, keeping her distance from the group.


    He turned around.


    Katara hadn''t argued with her, as she had grown used to Toph''s teasing and her presence. In fact, they had become quite good friends. And they were girls, so they had their girl talk.


    Sokka and Ryuk had their own "boy talk," but it mostly revolved around Fire Nation strategies, countermeasures, and whether they could reach their destination in time. He was a very protective brother, and Ryuk knew Sokka would risk his life for Katara¡ªeven without power.


    Seeing Toph in such a bad mood¡ªalmost sad¡ªRyuk couldn''t help but soften a little.


    He approached her.


    "Toph, is something bothering you?" Ryuk asked.


    Toph lifted her head but didn''t smile or show any emotion.


    "Not at all," she said shortly.


    "Are you sure?" he pressed. She sounded serious, which wasn''t like her usual self.


    "Yes," she replied, unwilling to share her concerns.


    "Are you?" Ryuk asked again, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know we''ve only been traveling together for two or three weeks, but if you want to share something or get something off your chest, I''m here."


    She sighed.


    To be honest, she did want to say what was on her mind.


    But she hesitated, fearing she would be mocked.


    Still, she decided to let it out. It wasn''t like she couldn''t beat him up if he laughed or something.


    "My parents¡­ Usually, by this time, a lackey or a mercenary would have shown up to take me home. But no one''s here. Although I should feel happy, I''m actually disappointed."


    Toph couldn''t believe she had opened up to him. She didn''t need to see his face to know how he reacted.


    He simply nodded in understanding.


    "It must be tough, thinking about it all the time," he said sympathetically, and he was being completely honest.


    "Usually, I''d complain. But it''s been two months, and I don''t know how to feel. If they haven''t sent someone after me, either they''ve given up on me¡­ or something bad has happened to them," she admitted.


    Her concerns were reasonable.


    "Anyway, I just wanted to clear the air before things got messy," Ryuk said, his eyes narrowing slightly.


    "Are you talking about some kind of sexual tension?" she asked with a smirk, teasing him. "Never thought you''d want to break someone''s heart."


    "Seriously. You''re not feeling anything?" Ryuk asked her honestly.


    Toph''s eyes widened.


    Was he confessing?


    With her ability to sense his body''s subtle movements, she could tell he wasn''t joking.


    Her heart skipped a beat.


    "Well, to be honest, it''s¡­ complicated. You''re not half bad, and I''m just a teenage girl traveling with a guy alone," she said, her cheeks turning pink. "Though¡­ I''m going to need some time to think about it."


    She had opened up a little more.


    Ryuk didn''t look at her. Instead, he turned his head away. His heart skipped a beat as well. There seemed to be a misunderstanding on her part. Sure, she was pretty, pale, and short¡ªquite his type¡ªbut the thing was, he hadn''t been talking about that kind of feeling.


    "I was talking about the army heading our way and blocking the escape routes¡­" Ryuk said. "I''m picking up distant sounds¡ªtalk of killing four people¡­ trapping them between the mountains or setting up an ambush."


    "What?" Toph asked. She stomped the ground more forcefully. "Now that you mention it, I can feel some movement. It''s far, so it''s unclear."


    Ryuk looked in one direction. His power wasn''t like Toph''s. Visually, it was lacking, especially in range. But when it came to sound, his sense of hearing was incredibly sharp, allowing him to pick up sounds from great distances.


    Behind him, Toph was blushing like crazy.


    She closed her eyes, thinking, That was weird. I''ll pretend I was joking later¡­


    But the problem was that she could sense his biological reactions. And it seemed that their conversation had caused his blood to rush somewhere. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself.


    "So, what do we do now?" she asked Ryuk. The siblings were clueless, so they wouldn''t be involved in the emergency planning. Over the weeks of traveling together, she had realized that Ryuk was the one who made the tough decisions, so she asked him directly.


    "Hmmm¡­ I think we should have two plans," Ryuk said. "One, if there''s an exit, we focus on defense and mobility. Lucy can carry three people now, and I should be able to handle myself with a bit of waterbending to slide away."


    "And if there''s no exit?" she asked.


    "That''s easy," Ryuk said with a grin. "As a matter of fact, that would be even easier, thanks to you."


    "I know I''m awesome," she replied.


    Ryuk chuckled, and she smiled back.


    -x-X-x-


    "Ryuk, you''re joking, right?" Sokka asked as the four of them walked. Katara and Sokka were riding on Lucy''s back. Sokka had his boomerang in hand, ready for any potential danger.


    His stress was justified. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, I had told him there was an army setting a trap for us.


    And it didn''t take a genius to realize they had squads waiting for us.


    In fact, I figured they probably had an elite squad ready for the metalbending master in Ba Sing Se.


    "Yes, I was joking," I deadpanned.


    Sokka didn''t buy it. He frowned and said, "I swear, if we make it out of this¡­"


    "Don''t worry," Katara said. "I''ll protect you." She was riding behind him.


    "I''m not that weak," Sokka grumbled.


    "Well¡­ I guess we''ll go with your second plan," Toph said.


    "What does that mean?" Katara asked.


    "It means," I answered, "that all of our escape routes are blocked by soldiers."


    Sokka and Katara looked around, but they saw nothing.


    "No need to look around," Toph said. "Only Ryuk and I can sense them."


    "I can only hear them from this distance," I added. I could see using my water-sense, but the range wasn''t as large as I had hoped. However, it allowed me to see in all directions and even detect what people were carrying behind their backs. Though, thankfully, I couldn''t see everything¡ªwhich I was very grateful for.


    I could also hear Katara''s heart pounding. Sokka wasn''t much better¡ªhis face was quite pale.


    I didn''t blame him.


    No matter how strong you are, numbers matter.


    Sure, I could probably take on a hundred men on a good day¡ªthough I wasn''t sure. But fighting an army while being surrounded? That was another story.


    The only advantage I saw was that this was a narrow path. And we had an earthbender.


    "Ryuk, we''re approaching them," Toph said, fully focused.


    I cleared my throat. We''d had a weird moment an hour ago, and I was sure things would get awkward later. But for now, I needed to focus on the Fire Nation''s trap.


    "At my signal, ride Lucy," I ordered.


    "Don''t worry about me. Worry about yourself," she said confidently.


    "Okay," I replied.


    Soon, the vibrations in the ground became more pronounced.


    Sokka noticed small rocks shaking and muttered, "They''re here."


    A man clad in red armor appeared first.


    Behind me, a marching army emerged.


    And that wasn''t all.


    According to Toph, they were coming from every direction.


    In front of me, I could count about 200 soldiers.


    "Okay, Toph. Do it when I say," I ordered. "For now, hold." I smirked.

 Chapter 57 - 57

    "Wouldn''t now be the perfect time?" Toph argued.


    "Sorry, but I think I''ll be selfish and take on the first batch," I said.


    What amounted to a few hundred for me was worth anywhere from a few tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand experience points for them.


    I knew it was a risk. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But it was a calculated risk.


    I would stick with my plan as soon as things started going south.


    Because, for one simple reason.


    Beneath us was my greatest weapon.


    Sokka held his boomerang and turned behind him.


    Katara raised her hand. Water rose from the bottle at her waist, turning into a weapon.


    At the same time, an army was approaching from behind. They were still far away, and it would take them anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes to arrive.


    "You know, I''m pretty pissed off, so beat me to it," Toph said, stomping on the ground.


    Remember, this was a mountain range.


    Like the South Pole, North Pole, or ocean were weapons in the hands of a waterbender, being in a mountain range was the worst place to fight an earthbender, especially one as powerful as Toph.


    A tremor shook her feet, causing a small earthquake. But it wasn''t a real earthquake¡ªToph simply made the nearby mountain shake.


    This was one of the moments I honestly admired Toph''s skills.


    The rocks that fell from the top of the mountain didn''t fall randomly. They were calculated, targeting the tanks and the areas where most of the soldiers were.


    What amazed me more was that she didn''t bend the boulders. Instead, she calculated everything and manipulated small amounts of earth.


    She turned around and ran up a nearby mountain wall, hitting it with her arm. Another tremor happened, and large boulders fell, blocking the path for the army coming from behind.


    I had to give it to her¡ªshe was pretty smart.


    "Not bad," Katara said.


    "I know," Toph said. "Do you think I''m better than you?"


    Katara ignored her and said, "We should help Ryuk."


    I, on the other hand, stared at the dagger-like glares directed at me. More likely than not, they were filled with hatred, and they were aimed at Toph.


    "Run forward. Don''t give them a chance to do that again," the one who seemed to be the captain ordered.


    The army started running forward, shooting fire streams at me, Katara, and Toph. I easily dodged the fire streams and blocked those aimed at me. I could simply use the water from my bottle to do so, turning a portion of it into steam to create a barrier.


    The army didn''t stop. The men in front unsheathed their sabers and held their spears. An arrow headed my way, and I froze a portion of water to hold it still.


    Sure, steam could block fire. But could it block sharp weapons? Weapons that could be thrown?


    I looked forward and saw the leader, with a few archers next to him. He had his hand raised to the sky, as if signaling his soldiers to prepare.


    One of the best strategies in the world is taking your enemy''s leader first, causing confusion.


    And against archers, human shields were a good thing.


    I pointed my hand at the soldier''s leader.


    His feet left the ground. A confused expression spread across his face. He tried to move his leg, but he couldn''t.


    "Can you believe you can fly?" I asked.


    The archers, confused, fired at me.


    Their leader flew faster than the arrows and blocked their path.


    I threw his lifeless body at them, knocking their formation down.


    Everyone stopped for a second to recognize what had happened.


    "The leader flew on his own."


    "That girl... She''s an earthbender. She must be a metalbender¡­"


    "But we''re wearing leather armor¡­"


    From what I could hear, the soldiers had been prepared for fighting metalbenders.


    I had to give them credit.


    But at the same time, I couldn''t praise them.


    Although they had prepared well for a small squad of metalbenders, they had forgotten that we were earthbenders first and foremost.


    You know, earthbenders and mountain ranges were a recipe for disaster. Toph alone had caused them damage and blocked the path for their backup to approach. Not to mention, my plan depended on her. Beneath my feet was a large source of water I could use to create a path.


    I decided to clear up the soldiers'' confusion.


    I ran toward them.


    Seeing them standing still, my heart raced. But I kept running until I reached the archers.


    They floated in the air, their blood freezing. I then slammed them into the line in front of me.


    "Oh my¡­"


    "Did he just make them float?"


    "Take him down!! Focus all your firepower on him!"


    The firebenders worked in sync. They took their stances before shooting a large fire stream at me.


    I had prepared to counter this in advance. I pointed my hand at a nearby frozen body, using dehydration on it, turning it into a dust-like body as it fell. At the same time, a huge amount of steam rose.


    And remember¡ª the hotter the steam, the more space it occupied.


    I bent the steam, concentrating it in a small area, making it absorb the fire before pushing it forward. The firebenders crossed their arms or shot fire at the steam.


    You see, the power of firebenders in this world didn''t just come from the heat of their fire. There was some kind of force behind their fire beams.


    For example, when Azula or Zuko fought against the Avatar in the series, their firebending was strong enough to cut through crystal. Azula''s fire beams were even strong enough to knock down a wall made of heavy rocks.


    Anyway, I did my best to survive the fire beam. As it ended, I wasted no time cooling the steam, turning it into mist that surrounded the area.


    And now, it was time for my Aqua Sense to shine. I walked confidently into the mist¡ªthe thick mist that prevented anyone from seeing clearly.


    Since I couldn''t see, my brain relied on the water particles in the air. As the mist contained more water than the normal humidity, my sense was stronger. I could see the soldiers, what was behind their backs, what was in front of them, and what was between them. I practically had no blind spots.


    Bloodbending was strong, but it wasn''t enough to take on all of them. Not to mention, while I could bend water with my mind, bloodbending required focus and wouldn''t allow for multitasking.


    So¡­


    "I''m sorry," I honestly apologized while walking between them, tears falling from my eyes. I admitted that what I was going to do was a war crime. But I believed that once this was over, I could live an honest life with my friends in peace.


    The soldiers started dropping one by one.


    Some females seemed confused by the sound of the groans.


    In fact, some of them willingly laid down and pretended to be dead.


    The men didn''t even pretend¡­ but I would have done the same if I were them.


    But you know what my system says?


    I''m gender-neutral when it comes to XP points.


    Host, go after them.


    Well, it didn''t say that directly, but I believed that''s what it would have said if it could.


    As the mist started to dissipate and soldiers from other directions approached, even Toph''s rock barrier wouldn''t hold. I decided to tell her to do it.


    "Do it, Toph!" I screamed.


    Toph nodded and slammed her hand on the ground. She then jumped and landed on Lucy''s back.


    Cracks spread on the ground.


    From them, pressurized water erupted.


    Taking a deep breath, I circled my arms above my head.


    The flowing water circled around me and Lucy.


    A water tornado wrapped around us, pushing us as we glided on the mountain, defying gravity.


    Toph pointed at the mountain with her hands and pulled on the air. A platform made of earth extended from the mountain wall, allowing us to land safely, high off the ground.


    "That was scary," Sokka commented, before turning to look at Katara, making sure she was fine.


    "Yeah," Toph said. "For a second, I couldn''t see what was going on, and I almost¡­ never mind."


    I believe that the moment she rode on Lucy''s back, she was unable to see anything. But she managed herself well.


    "I think we''ve underestimated your plan, Ryuk," Toph said.


    The cracks in the ground were getting bigger, and more water was overflowing.


    The firebenders and regular soldiers from the Fire Nation had much bigger problems to deal with.


    "Sure, they do," I said, walking to the edge of the platform and performing a bending move. "For now, let''s do as much damage as we can before they figure out something."


    The water carried a current before freezing a large portion of them.


    I needed to minimize their numbers as much as possible before they dared to shoot fire streams at us.


    [Calculating the number of soldiers host has defeated]


    [Title: Warlord is being effective]


    [Calculating how much damage Toph''s actions have caused¡­]


    "No need," Toph commented, walking to the edge and sitting down.


    "Why?" I asked.


    "Well, let''s just say we''re not the only ones who noticed the army gathering. Someone else has taken offense to that," she said.


    I turned my head.


    A larger unit of soldiers, dressed in green, were walking toward us, creating earth walls to stop the water from flowing.

 Chapter 58 - 58

    I clicked my tongue while looking down. From my current height above the ground, the view was clearer. A larger unit of men in green were taking down the Fire Nation soldiers blocking the path. And let me tell you, there were more of them than the ones I had faced.


    I turned my head to look at Katara, who was initially confused but then gave me a gentle, reassuring smile.


    I smiled back and looked down.


    To be honest, Katara was the only girl I wouldn''t regret sleeping with, even if I ended up impregnating her with ten children and having to take care of them for the rest of my life.


    Let me tell you. If not for her, I wouldn''t have learned Nutsbending. And without Nutsbending, I wouldn''t have been able to achieve bloodbending. Both of those forms were necessary to survive this situation.


    [The system has finished calculating]


    [Waterbending + 30k experience points.]


    [Freeze + 2000 exp]


    [Steaming + 5000 exp]


    [+200k accumulated experience]


    I began to appreciate the system even more for not giving me individual experience notifications until the battle was over. What a considerate friend I had here.


    But I decided to put thoughts about experience points aside for now; I had soldiers from the Earth Kingdom to deal with.


    Seeing them positioned in different spots gave me an important hint.


    They had been prepared for the Fire Nation army more than I had. Yet, somehow, they hadn''t intervened and had let them be.


    Omashu.


    A major Earth Kingdom city ruled by the Mad King, Bumi.


    A person you could never expect. And a very powerful earthbender. Some people might say he''d been an idiot since he was a child and call him slow, but I believed that someone like that could never be a king. And let''s not forget, Bumi could cook up schemes, and he had extraordinary endurance and patience.


    ''So, they were ready, but they never made a move until the Fire Nation did. I guess they either wanted to use them as an alarm or they had some hidden agenda I couldn''t figure out,'' I thought. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was no way I could know what the Mad King was thinking.


    "Okay. Sokka¡­ remember the bounty?" I turned to Sokka and asked.


    "Yes. But we''ve already defeated the soldiers. So, no hundred thousand gold."


    "I''m not talking about that," I smirked. "I''m talking about the thousand gold demanded by the Earth Kingdom."


    Katara''s expression started twitching and changing. Toph gave her a side glance before turning her head away.


    Katara stood between Sokka and me, scolding, "Are you for real now!" she yelled.


    I replied softly, "It says ''alive only,'' doesn''t it? At least you guys can take the credit."


    "I don''t know, Ryuk," Toph argued. "She has a point. And what do you think about our image once we hand you over?"


    "But a thousand gold is a thousand gold," Sokka said.


    His sister shot him a glare, and he turned his head away.


    I frowned.


    Does no one appreciate money in this world? Even a girl like Katara and Toph think it''s absurd to go after money.


    ''Guess gold-digger pranks won''t work on them,'' I sighed. Looking at the Earth Kingdom soldiers arresting the Fire Nation soldiers, I decided to try my luck. Maybe my Warlord title would work.


    "Go for it, boys! Do your job!" I cheered/ordered.


    Fair enough.


    I''d get a reward when this was over.


    [+150k experience points]


    A man with a bamboo hat and green attire, with armor on top, waved at me.


    "Toph, you can go down," I said.


    "Do you think we can trust them?" she asked.


    "I mean, if they don''t¡­" I mused.


    "What?" Toph asked.


    "I''ll make the mother of all omelets," I smiled.


    There was no need to waste more energy. I had already used bloodbending, and it had drained me enough.


    "Okay¡­" she replied reluctantly, her face contorting like someone who had just drunk a squeezed lemon.


    I guess she had seen Nutsbending¡­ on the X-ray level. Even I wouldn''t want to see that.


    Although I considered that form of bending a crime, I hadn''t lost hope in life. Once this war was over, I planned to build a nice house and live a peaceful life. That was my goal, and nothing was going to take it away from me.


    On the other hand, if you think about it, firebending is more painful. You see, getting burned is more painful than giving birth or having kidney stones.


    Maybe my form of bending wasn''t that bad.


    It''s just scary.


    The platform we were standing on glided slowly down the mountain until we reached the ground.


    The leader, a man with a bulky physique, approached me.


    "You''re Mr. Ryuk, aren''t you?" he asked.


    "Guess I''m famous," I smiled.


    The Omashu squad''s leader had a few beads of sweat on his forehead, and his eyebrows were twitching.


    Man, was he sick or tired after arresting these soldiers?


    "You could say¡­" he said, turning his head. "What in the name of spirits is this?" he whispered to himself, but I heard him.


    The arrested soldiers, especially the men, gave me a glare. Their eyes were bloodshot, and they were shaking in their boots. Most had wet pants, but I guessed that was from the water vein explosion.


    "Anyways¡­" I decided to clear my doubt. "You seem to have expected me to arrive."


    "Well, to be honest, no one did, except for our king," he replied honestly. "But to be fair, we expected metalbenders to show up. We''ve seen the Fire Nation squads setting traps, yet they never attacked. But according to the king, he decided to leave them here."


    "Let me guess," I replied without much thought. "He wanted to see the metalbending in action."


    "Yes, that and dustbending. But I think we''ve seen something beyond our expectations," he said, looking at me and then toward Toph.


    He looked back at me and added, "What was that? The way you created mist, the way you made soldiers float and use them as human shields. More importantly, is that your rumored powers?"


    He glanced at a soldier who seemed to be in agony.


    Oh.


    That''s why he was sweating so much while looking at me.


    It seemed that sparing that bounty hunter''s life had paid off.


    I had enough reputation that even allies feared me.


    "You mean, playing ping pong inside the sacks? Yeah, that''s another way to describe it," I laughed. "But hey, I''m not the one who filled the balls with water¡­"


    The soldier faked a laugh, seemingly afraid to offend me.


    I guess it made sense to fear me, even with an army behind him.


    After all, even if your army could kill your enemy, what''s left to live for without your balls?


    "Hehehehehe¡­" I heard a distant laugh. "Very interesting indeed."


    I turned my head toward the direction, looking at the top of a mountain, where I saw the city of Omashu.


    "Anyways," I looked at the leader. "I have a metalbender with me."


    I placed my hand on Toph''s shoulder and said, "She''s the most talented one in the world."


    For Toph, I believed her talent should exceed the norms. If normal people could learn metalbending, why couldn''t she learn something beyond that? Why couldn''t she learn to bend bones or something like that?


    "I believe you are quite tired after your journey. Why don''t you follow me?"


    After that, we followed the captain of the soldiers, taking a narrow path before crossing a rocky bridge. Omashu city was truly impressive. The architecture was beautiful, and it was built like a pyramid. The walls were high, and with the city perched on top of a mountain, you could tell it had perfect defenses.


    At the entrance, I spotted a familiar face.


    A man was pushing a cabbage cart.


    "Cai!" I called with a wide smile.

 Chapter 59 - 59

    I greeted Cai with a smile.


    But the reason for my smile wasn''t happiness.


    The moment I saw him, I remembered the stunt I had pulled on him with the "National Medical Association."


    He had been very wary of them. After I took over that village, he had been demanding that I bring those thieves to justice.


    Well, too bad for him.


    I''m the head of that association¡ªand its sole member.


    "Oh, it''s you, Ryuk," said Cai. "Great timing. Come and help me push my cart."


    I gave him a blank expression.


    Did he seriously expect me to help him?


    "Sorry. I have some business to attend to with the soldiers," I said.


    "Oh, that''s too bad," he replied, putting a hand on his back and grumbling. "My back has been hurting me so much. But well, what can an old man like me do without the help of a brilliant young man like you?"


    "I''m really busy," I waved my hand dismissively.


    "Ryuk! What kind of man are you to let a helpless old man suffer like that?" Katara interjected. "Can''t you see he''s in pain?"


    ''Oh, Katara. How gullible can you be?'' I thought as I exhaled a long sigh.


    Cai gave me a knowing smirk.


    "Oh, right," I said. "Your cabbages have healing properties. You should eat some¡­"


    "Don''t¡­" Cai''s eyes widened.


    I smiled. "Remember Haru''s mom? She was so sick. After you sold him the cabbage, she got healed. I should have never doubted you. And you should never doubt your cabbages."


    I left Cai staring at me with wide eyes.


    I believe he was afraid that people might overhear and his cabbages would get stolen again.


    I turned to Sokka and grabbed a few silver coins. I tossed them to him.


    "Go help the old man, Sokka," I said.


    Sokka looked at the money in his palm and clenched his fist.


    He then smiled at me and said, "Sure thing, boss." He walked over to Cai and grabbed the cart.


    It was a refreshing sight to see Sokka next to the cart without destroying it.


    "Please, Sokka. Just call me ''brother-in-law,''" I teased him.


    Katara, who was standing behind me, giggled. She liked it whenever I called Sokka that. It was as if I was calling her my wife.


    Sokka rolled his eyes and said, "Your name is Cai. Let''s move."


    Cai grabbed the other side of the cart, and they pushed it together.


    "Who is that?" Katara asked. I believe she had never met the cabbage seller in this world yet.


    "Nobody important. Just some old man you''d meet on the road," I said.


    "He seems pretty familiar with you," she commented.


    "Meh¡­" I shrugged, not knowing what to say.


    "So, am I going to meet the king now or what?" I turned to the captain behind me.


    "Not yet," said the captain of the Earthbenders. "We have strict orders¡­"


    "Strict orders for what?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. Bumi might be an ally to the Avatar, but he was called the Mad King for a reason. And these people weren''t to be underestimated.


    The captain forced a smile and put his hands on his crotch.


    "To show you good hospitality. I believe after days¡ªor weeks¡ªof travel, you must be tired. Why not have some food and a bath, and after you rest, you can meet the king?" he said.


    "Dude¡­" I sighed. "The way you started, I thought you were going to throw us in jail or something for further investigation."


    "Hahaha¡­ Why?" the soldier leader asked with a polite smile.


    "The tone. It matters," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.


    "Well, that''s how we deliver good news here," he said.


    "Anyway¡­ I might have a favor to ask you," I said to the captain.


    "Sure, ask anything. If it''s within my power, I''ll help you," he replied.


    "My brother-in-law¡­ When he comes back, let him get lost around town for a bit," I said, rubbing my chin.


    "Why is that?" asked the captain.


    "I just like to tease him," I replied, not entirely honestly.


    You know, traveling with your woman and her brother can be a real drag.


    Now that I had the chance to enjoy a bath and a nice bed after a long journey, I''d appreciate some privacy. You might think, "You''re a waterbender; taking a bath isn''t a problem." But it''s not about the bath¡ªit''s about who you take it with.


    Just a fantasy from my previous life.


    I could see Katara, with my waterbending sense, nodding behind me.


    Toph was giving me a sharp gaze, as if she could see through my scheme. But as she realized I was looking back at her, she turned her head away. I couldn''t tell if she was blushing or not, as my aqua sense didn''t allow me to see colors.


    "You and the king will get along well," the captain said.


    "I hope so," I replied.


    To be honest, I wasn''t here to make friends with Bumi.


    I was here to teach him¡ªand his army.


    They would then become an unstoppable force capable of pushing back the Fire Nation and reclaiming occupied lands.


    This way, I could ensure the Fire Nation wouldn''t even dare to target the South Pole, as they''d have bigger problems to deal with.


    We were then guided to a hotel.


    I secured a few rooms for us and went to Katara''s room. We talked about the last battle and shared some romantic moments. Since there was a bath pool, I managed to convince her to try it, and we enjoyed our time together.


    Occasionally, I tried to spy on Toph, who was in a nearby room. To see better, I closed my eyes¡­


    I could see her changing her clothes and trying on new ones. She paused for a moment, smirked as if she could see me, and said, "Hey, it''s not polite to spy on a lady, Ryuk¡­ I know you can hear me¡­"


    I opened my eyes wide, cutting off the view. As enticing as the view was, how in the world could she sense me watching her?


    Anyway, I felt things were taking an awkward turn with Toph.


    I remembered earlier that day when she opened up to me, and I asked her about her feelings after she teased me and me suddenly feeling Fire Nation soldiers lurking. It had led to a confession.


    I put my hand on my forehead and clenched my teeth.


    ''I should have used a full sentence. Instead of saying, "Aren''t you feeling anything?" in that context, I should have said, "Can''t you sense anything?"''


    I looked up at the ceiling.


    No matter how good I was at waterbending, I was still a novice when it came to talking to girls. I didn''t even know how I managed to win over Katara, other than the fact that I was the only boy around her for over a decade ¡ª You''re guaranteed to a win a race when you''re the only competitor.


    Speaking of waterbending¡­ Over the two weeks I had been traveling and practicing bloodbending, I had gained a significant amount of experience. The last battle had also earned me a lot of points. While it wasn''t enough to level up, it was enough to reduce the amount of accumulated experience points I needed to spend.


    I opened the system and checked my accumulated points.


    Fair enough, I could level up a few skills.


    [Chi Bending leveled up to 14]


    [Waterbending leveled up to 15]


    [Sub-skills significantly improved]


    [Chi usage significantly reduced]


    [You have gained the sub-skill: Bending your own blood to fly]


    ''Nah. Bloodbending hurts¡­ I have a better idea.''


    [You can now bend with thought]


    [Martial Arts leveled up to 10]


    I sat up from the bed, and Katara clung to my arm. I gently pulled away, covered her with the blankets, dressed, and prepared to leave.


    I was well-rested¡ªwell, not really. I was just in a good mood after leveling up and¡­ other activities. So, I felt it would be a waste to sleep now.


    Maybe I should request an audience with the king or something.


    I didn''t plan to stay here long. At best, I''d stay for a week or so to let Toph teach them metalbending. After that, I''d take her near the desert to find out when Sozin''s Comet would arrive.


    If the comet was a year or more away, it might be best to return to the South Pole and search for the Avatar. With my upgraded water sense, I could locate the Avatar easily.


    The only problem was that this was quite an alternate universe. You know, when a plane shifts its direction by just 1%, it can land in a completely different country. And the South Pole wasn''t just a tribe or an island¡ªit was an entire continent.


    It''s okay, I thought as I walked down the street. My waterbending sense had improved. Not only had my range increased, but I could now see people''s internal systems and how their blood flowed. If I wanted, I could even hear their pulse. And I could control when to activate this sense.


    On the other hand, if the comet was due to arrive soon¡ªsay, within a few months or less than a year¡ªthe Avatar wouldn''t be able to do much.


    He didn''t have the heart to get his hands dirty¡ªAKA, killing.


    He had lost all his temple family but hadn''t processed the news yet, which would take time.


    And he needed to open his chakras or something to enter the Avatar State at will.


    With less than a year, he wouldn''t master all the elements in time.


    Not to mention, he believed in some kind of jinx and insisted on learning the elements in order.


    I might be able to teach him waterbending, and maybe bring Toph along.


    But the problem remained: where could I find firebenders to teach him? Where could I find that crazy monk to teach him the Avatar State? And in the original timeline, it took him a significant amount of time to master all four elements.


    Maybe it''s not necessary after all¡­ I looked at my hands. They might appear clean, but they''ve been soaked in blood.


    I tried to think of something to do¡­ Hanma Yujiro. In the Baki timeline, whenever the USA gets a new president, he breaks into the White House and threatens them to do them Diddy. Not that I was seriously thinking of doing it. Just threatening the Fire Lord would do.


    I put my hand under my chin. ''That might work¡­ With my bloodbending, it''s very likely to happen.''


    Suddenly, someone was about to bump into me from behind.


    I tried to avoid them before it happened, but they shifted their fall and continued stumbling toward me. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ouch¡­ Young man, you should watch where you''re standing," said an old voice.


    I turned to see an old man.


    He appeared short, tanned, and very old.


    I narrowed my gaze.


    The old man wasn''t short¡ªhe was squatting under his robes, making him appear shorter.


    ''This crazy man, delaying a meeting with me just to pretend to be helpless old man.'' I knew exactly who this man was.

 Chapter 60 - 60

    I looked at the old man, who probably thought I couldn''t see through his disguise. I wanted to tell him to drop the act, but I decided against it. I wanted to see what his purpose was with this charade.


    Did I mention before that I hate it when someone plays games. But at the same time, I didn''t have anything better to do.


    I crouched down to the old man and extended my hand to him.


    "Sorry, old man," I said gently.


    "It seems you''re well-mannered, young man," the old man replied, taking my hand and pretending to struggle to stand up.


    "Oh, ouch¡­" he groaned in pain. "My back¡­ you''ve hurt me a lot."


    "Easy, easy," I said, sighing internally. It seemed Bumi, the Mad King, was testing my patience. I decided to test his madness in return.


    "For an old man your size, you''re pretty heavy. You seem to weigh over 120 kg," I said.


    "Hehe¡­" he shifted to a cheerful and smiling demeanor. "You''re just weak, young man¡­"


    "Are you sure?" I replied. "I used to do heavy labor under the sun."


    "Like what? Picking a few flowers?" he teased. "Anyway¡­ it seems I can''t walk. Can you help me?"


    I rolled my eyes.


    Another man like Cai. If I didn''t know he was Bumi, I wouldn''t have humored him.


    "Where do you want to go?" I asked.


    "Somewhere nearby," he said, his dark-bagged eyes smiling at me.


    "Okay¡­ but are you sure your back hurts?"


    "Oh, yes," he insisted.


    "Hold on for a second, then," I said. I stood behind him and placed my hand on his back. Since I had gained bloodbending and my waterbending was now at level 15, I could use blood to heal people. Not to mention, my healing skill was a sub-skill that improved with each level.


    "What''s this sensation?" he asked, his eyes widening.


    "I''ve just healed you," I replied. "Though, you have quite healthy bones for an old man."


    "Hey, don''t call me an old man. I''m just shy of 110 years young. Anyway, come with me," he said.


    "But you''re no longer in pain," I teased.


    "You''ve caused me emotional damage," he said, tears welling up in his eyes. I knew it was just an act, but it was so convincing that I felt a pang in my heart.


    And so, I began walking around Omashu with the Mad King, who pretended to be a helpless, cranky old man.


    I had to handle him for some time. He asked me to do various tasks, like heavy lifting and moving things around. Then, as I grew curious about where he was leading me after carrying his groceries, he made me take two rounds around the city.


    "I seem to have forgotten where I live!" he cried.


    "You don''t say," I replied blankly.


    "You wouldn''t abandon a helpless old man, would you, young fella?" he said.


    "Maybe if you stopped walking while squatting, you''d remember where you live," I said, deciding to cut the act. I had wasted enough time.


    It seemed like karma was getting back at me for making Sokka roam around the city so I could have some privacy with his sister.


    "I''m standing as straight as I can. But my joints really hurt!" he cried.


    "Well, I have to admit, being this old has made you a very good actor," I said, sensing a flinch in Bumi''s pulse.


    "It seems young men lose their minds before they get old nowadays," he sighed heavily.


    Before he could deny it any longer, I pointed my hand at him and started moving my fingers.


    "Ouch¡­ ouch¡­ argh¡­" he groaned as his arms and legs began to grow.


    The man who had been two heads shorter than me now stood almost two inches taller. His attire shrank on his body, exposing his bulging muscles. With his physique, this old man could compete in Mr. Olympia without steroids.


    "Either one of us has lost their mind, or you''re not real," I said confidently.


    "Hehehe¡­" the old man laughed. "You''ve seen through my disguise. Do you know who I am?"


    "I believe you''re Bumi," I replied. "King Bumi, if you prefer to be called that."


    "What was that power¡­" Bumi looked at his hands, his eyes wide open.


    "Bloodbending. It''s like bending the water inside your body," I replied. "Don''t ask for details."


    "Man¡­ Young men nowadays have no patience. If you realized I was testing you, why didn''t you just act along and pass the test?" Bumi smiled and cocked his head.


    I rolled my eyes. "I was testing you testing me. I wanted to know the purpose. In case you were testing my patience, you should have tested your disguise first."


    "Unbelievable. Even the citizens of my city didn''t know it was me," Bumi said. He put his hand under his chin and examined me from head to toe. "Sharp. Carefree at the same time¡­ Patient, yet not very tolerant. You also seem to have the power to sense through the water in the air. That''s how you saw me. But¡­"


    I didn''t know whether to feel flattered or insulted.


    Sharp but carefree? What was that supposed to make me? DBZ''s Goku? Well, I was somewhat flattered.


    "You know, you could''ve simply asked for an audience instead of all this testing¡­" I shrugged.


    "Yes, I could have," Bumi said, lifting his finger energetically. "But I didn''t know you''d be such a joy killer."


    ''Is he testing me by being passive-aggressive?'' I thought.


    "Yeah, they call me Killer Queen," I replied.


    "What a weird title. I thought they called you the Nutcracker," Bumi said.


    I paused for a second, my eyes widening.


    I didn''t know I had a title like that.


    I put my hand on my face and looked at the sky, my eyes falling on the sunset.


    Just hearing that title made me feel pain in my nuts.


    ''With such a title¡­ my children will suffer from bullying¡­ It''s okay. I''m a bloodbender now; they''ll issue me a new one. But man¡­ I shouldn''t have spared that bounty hunter.''


    "Forget about it," I said. "Anyway, there''s no need for a test or anything¡­ I''m just here to pass on the teachings of metalbending¡­ and that''s it."


    "But there is a need indeed," Bumi shook his head. "A powerful, rebellious man. I need to know what kind of person you are. If you''re crazy or stupid, you wouldn''t deserve that kind of power, nor should you be trusted."


    I tilted my head and examined Bumi from head to toe.


    "You realize your facial expression is screaming the word ''crazy,'' right? Even the deaf can hear that. Yet, here you are, a king," I replied, speaking my honest thoughts.


    Bumi didn''t take offense to my words.


    He seemed amused.


    After chuckling, he said, "I''m smart with a pure heart."


    "Aren''t all crazy people?" I replied.


    "Have you heard about the Fire Lord''s daughter?" Bumi argued back. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, I felt I had lost the argument. Azula was what you''d call evil with a pure heart. She''s less crazy than Bumi but very vicious, scheming, and smart. The worst part is that she''s been like this since she was a kid.


    Again, I wondered how she looked in this reality.


    "You''ve got a point," I admitted, conceding the argument.


    But then it hit me.


    Why? Why was Bumi doing this?


    If it was about handing over a metalbending method or an explosive dust recipe, it wouldn''t require qualifications from me. Toph would be teaching them soon anyway.


    It seemed Bumi had another purpose. Giving me an army? Or¡­ his secret organization?


    "Anyway, what''s your real purpose? It''s not like you need to be a genius to teach someone metalbending," I asked.


    Bumi''s smile widened. He reached into his robe and pulled out a token, handing it to me.


    "Have you ever heard of Order of The White Lotus ?" he asked, extending the token to me.

 Chapter 61 - 61

    I took the token and examined it. It was a wooden plaque with the pattern of a white lotus on it.


    What was the White Lotus Order, exactly?


    In The Legend of Korra, it was just an organization that followed the Avatar wherever she went.


    In The Last Airbender, it was a worldwide organization¡ªa massive network of information and spies. It included not only masters of all the elements (minus air) but also grandmasters, who defended Ba Sing Se at the Sozin Comet time.


    Even within the Fire Nation, the White Lotus had a presence.


    ''I think they''re either waiting for the Avatar or waiting for the comet to pass so they can counterattack. But at the same time, with metalbending and dustbending coming to light, they should fight back as soon as possible, or else the odds won''t be in their side.


    "Let''s head to my palace. I believe you haven''t had dinner yet," Bumi said, putting his hands behind his back and walking ahead.


    I followed him.


    We soon passed by the palace, with the guards greeting us respectfully.


    Bumi walked behind his throne and opened a secret door, inviting me in. Inside the secret room, the walls were adorned with silver armor, each bearing the white lotus pattern on the chest plates. The white lotus symbol was also etched into the walls.


    Are they a little too obsessed with the lotus pattern? I thought but didn''t voice my opinion. In front of me was a large table surrounded by many seats.


    "Needless to say, you may take a seat," Bumi said.


    "Aren''t you going to have bodyguards around you?" I asked.


    "Why would I?" Bumi replied.


    "Dunno¡­ to guard the room?" I said.


    "What''s the worst that could happen? Losing a few chairs and armor plates?" Bumi waved his hand dismissively.


    I chuckled.


    He didn''t seem to regard me as a threat.


    If I were in his position and there was a bloodbender in the room, I wouldn''t want to stay alone with them.


    But Bumi was someone like Toph. While he couldn''t see through the ground, he could sense things. Maybe he could trust people based on their pulse.


    From his pulse, I could tell he wasn''t the slightest bit afraid, nor was he preparing for a fight. At the same time, he was over a hundred years old. Perhaps his long life and countless battles had tempered him so well that his heart remained steady even in life-or-death situations.


    "Anyway¡­" I said, looking at the token in my hand. "What about this?"


    I couldn''t simply pretend to know about the White Lotus.


    "It''s our organization, the Order of the White Lotus. I''d love to tell you its history, but I believe a young man like you has no patience for that. And I might even fall asleep while telling you," Bumi said.


    "Yes¡­" I scratched my chin. "That can wait. If you''re extending an invitation to me, I''d like to know your goals and what you can provide me."


    At the same time, I was weighing the pros and cons of joining them.


    Money? That''s unlikely.


    An army? Maybe I''d need one someday, but I''m strong enough now to face one without worry.


    A worldwide information network? Free hotels and motels? That seemed more likely.


    And most importantly, I could gain access to powerful, influential people who might help me if I needed anything.


    "Well, first and foremost, our goal is to find the Avatar and drive out the Fire Nation. Given that we''re tight on schedule, we''re focusing on the second goal¡­"


    "Tight on schedule?"


    "You know, young man, there''s a comet that approaches once every hundred years. That comet grants immense power to firebenders, allowing them to generate fire. Before you appeared, we were planning to wait until the comet passed before launching a surprise attack on them."


    "How are you going to face them? Won''t you be powerless after the comet?"


    "Relax. They''ll go after Omashu and Ba Sing Se. Taking one of these cities down will burn up all their time. It''s not like they can fly when the comet arrives. After that, we''ll go on the offensive in a second war," Bumi explained. "We have allies from every nation¡ªfrom the North Pole to the Fire Nation, and even the South Pole. Your family is even fighting with us." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    My family?


    It had been a long time since I''d heard about them. Since I had memories from year one to year eighteen, I couldn''t possibly forget about them or pretend they didn''t exist.


    "Are they alive?" I asked, my eyes widening.


    "That''s quite an unfilial question," Bumi frowned.


    "I didn''t mean it the way you think. I''ve been through a lot of life-and-death situations myself. I just wanted to make sure they''re okay," I said honestly. I had already accepted the worst-case scenario long ago.


    "You think everyone''s a nutcracker, putting themselves in such situations in the first place?"


    I frowned at Bumi for calling me that, but he smiled widely, clearly happy he''d gotten under my skin.


    After clicking my tongue, I asked, "What''s with them?"


    "They''re doing pretty well and are healthy. They''ve led some battles. Your father is as skilled with the spear as ever, and your mother and sister are handling the medicine," Bumi replied. "Hope that reassures you."


    "Anyway¡­" I sighed inwardly. We were drifting off-topic, so I decided to get back on track. "Tell me about what your organization can do now, how they can help me, and what I can do to help them in return."


    Bumi put his hand under his chin, thinking.


    After a moment, he said, "We can do numerous things for you. We have many operatives planted in almost every city, even those ruled by the Fire Nation. We have insiders there, influential figures in the Fire Nation, and even officials within the Fire Lord''s palace.


    "We can use a man like you, and a man like you can use us. You''ll have access to unlimited information wherever you go. And if you doubt it, look at this."


    Bumi pointed his hand at me.


    A metallic pin from my shirt¡ªwhich was quite expensive and stolen from a high-ranking Fire Nation soldier¡ªflew out and stuck to Bumi''s hand.


    "We''ve got the method for metalbending. Unfortunately, not many seem to have the ability to learn it as quickly as the men you''ve trained," Bumi said.


    "Not everyone can sense the earth within metal. I believe you have an extraordinary sense," I explained.


    "Yeah, I know that well. It would take a normal soldier one to three months to grasp it. But what I can''t understand is how you managed to teach a hundred old men, who had been rusty in jail, to do so in a few weeks," Bumi asked.


    I thought about how to explain neurology in a way people from this world could understand.


    "It''s about¡­ the anatomy of the brain."


    Did you know that a surgeon performing brain surgery is essentially one brain operating on another?


    "Wow¡­" Bumi tilted his head. "Your brain knows itself."


    "Anyway, it''s a trick I invented. I thought the brain is like a muscle. The more you train it, the easier things become. So, the dizziness you feel after learning a new skill is like a muscle being sore. I used waterbending to heal the brain. In a way, even those without talent could learn quickly."


    "And you did it all on your own?" Bumi''s eyes widened in surprise. "You healed a hundred people at the same time?"


    "Not really. Only fifty," I said. "And it''s exhausting." To be honest, I could do more now, but I''ve never had the chance to test my new limits.


    Bumi shook his head and continued, "Back to the topic¡­"


    He explained the numerous benefits I could gain from joining them.


    Not to mention, we had a common goal.


    All I was required to do was provide a helping hand whenever their operatives were attacked or whenever they needed me, and to share any critical information.


    I decided to be direct about something that was bothering me.


    "When is Sozin''s Comet arriving?" I asked.


    "We don''t know," Bumi said. "But we do know it''s within this year. We can spot the comet a few days before it passes by our planet, but the Fire Nation''s astronomers already know the exact date. Their technology is more advanced. Those who knew were locked up to prevent any leaks. The Fire Nation will have time to prepare. With the Avatar not here and metalbending and dustbending now on the table, we''re preparing to train our forces before it''s too late."

 Chapter 62 - 62

    I was quite surprised by the details I didn''t know¡ªor should I say, I wasn''t sure if I knew them or not.


    I didn''t have a very solid memory of my previous life¡ªnor a solid memory in this one.


    "So, the Fire Nation can already predict the date of Sozin''s Comet¡­ makes sense," I sighed.


    That would make dealing with them harder.


    Even if the Earth Kingdom managed to push the Fire Nation back, they would still need to form an alliance with the Northern Water Tribe to prevent them from advancing through the sea.


    But even then, I doubted it would be enough. If you think about it, the Fire Nation had far more advanced technology compared to the rest of the world. Not only that, but they also had immense manufacturing power. If pressed, they could invent planes or other flying devices. Or, they could simply hide their forces, pretend to retreat, and strike during the comet''s arrival.


    ''If I''m not wrong, firebenders could create massive fire beams during the comet,'' I thought, trying hard to remember.


    "So?" Bumi asked, staring deeply at me.


    "So what?" I asked, staring back blankly.


    "What''s your reply? Will you join us?" Bumi asked.


    "Is that even negotiable? Of course, I''m joining," I replied.


    Joining them wouldn''t just benefit me with information. Even after the war, I''d have political power. I could secure a lot of land and money once the Fire Nation was defeated.


    "Hehehe¡­ I knew you were a wise man," Bumi laughed. "Do we celebrate now?"


    "Not really," I replied. "What we do now is exchange secret codes, hints, and signs to distinguish each other."


    "Hold on," Bumi narrowed his eyes. "You seem to know a lot already. I haven''t told you about that, have I?"


    "Seriously, you''re asking me how I knew about the existence of secret codes?" I asked back.


    "Yes," Bumi replied, seeming both curious and concerned. If I, whom he''d never met, knew, then what about the Fire Nation? They might have been dancing in the Fire Lord''s palm without realizing it all along.


    "It''s obvious," I shrugged. "If you read any fiction, secret organizations, codes, and hints are mentioned a lot."


    Bumi put his hand under his chin. "I remember now. When we formed this organization, what you''re talking about was an inspiration. For a second, I thought you already knew¡­"


    "Don''t worry. I know there may be other secret organizations that use the same methods you do."


    "Makes sense. Anyway¡­" Bumi walked to the corner and grabbed a book with a white cover. He handed it to me and said, "Burn it when you''re done reading it."


    I opened the book.


    It was titled, The Order of White Lotus for Dummies.


    I looked at Bumi, wondering how he even came up with that name.


    After skimming through it, I exited the secret chamber. I asked Bumi to summon my teammates, and he did.


    Now, I was in the main hall with Sokka, Katara, and Toph.


    "Apparently, the metalbending method has been leaked, and they already know about it," I said.


    The three of them widened their eyes.


    "How is that possible? Does this mean we''ve wasted our time?" Sokka grimaced.


    "Not really," I replied. "We haven''t wasted it entirely."


    "Although they have the method," Toph said, staring blankly into space, "they barely have the talent, and not all of them will learn it. At best, only a few hundred will grasp it soon. Others may join them, but it will take at least three months for most."


    I shrugged. "A hundred here, a hundred there¡­ a few hundred from somewhere else. They''ll become a formidable force. What matters is dustbending, which anyone can grasp."


    "Yeah, but it''ll take months of work," Toph disagreed.


    "So, what''s the plan now?" Katara asked.


    The plan.


    I had already thought of it.


    Bumi had given me an important hint: there was a year or less before Comet Day. No more.


    So, I would travel to the desert and take Toph with me.


    Katara would join us as well.


    As for how, I had my means now that my waterbending had leveled up.


    "We''ll go to the desert," I said. "Toph can sense through the ground, so I''ll take her with me."


    "To where?" Katara narrowed her gaze at me.


    "To Wan Shi Tong''s Library," I said. "There, I''ll find the library that holds knowledge from the dawn of mankind. I''ll use it to calculate the date of Sozin''s Comet."


    "What''s Sozin''s Comet?" Katara asked.


    I briefly explained. "It''s a comet that passes once every hundred years. To firebenders, it''s like having dozens of moons in the sky."


    "Oh¡­"


    "That''s so bad."


    "If that happens, they''ll take over the continent, and we''ll lose the war."


    I shook my finger. "That''s why we should go to the desert. Sokka, I know you''re weak."


    Sokka bit his bottom lip. "But I can help."


    "Sure, you can," I said, reaching into my pocket and pulling out a book I had written. I handed it to Sokka, who caught it and read the title.


    "The Art of Chi Bending?" he asked.


    "It''s a martial arts book," I said. I had created a book that mixed martial arts and chi bending. It didn''t contain all my secrets, but since I was supposed to be a grandmaster, I could at least teach Sokka how to use his energy to fight. He wouldn''t gain a huge power boost, but he''d be able to punch four to five times harder.


    The book was based on a simple technique: make the chi flow to your fist as you strike. It also included martial arts techniques.


    "Cool," Sokka said, reading the premise. "One can break iron with their fist. Whoa." His eyes lit up.


    "Better to practice while the information is still fresh," I advised.


    Sokka wasted no time asking a nearby guard about a training ground.


    Teaching Sokka wasn''t just for one purpose.


    I had calculated everything from the moment I decided to leave him in Omashu. I hadn''t taught him until now for a reason.


    I would have taken Katara with me to the desert, but I knew if I said so, Sokka would insist on coming.


    Besides, there was no way Katara would let me go alone with Toph.


    I could then make the excuse that we hadn''t abandoned him, but we were tight on schedule, and he''d be too tired after training¡ªwhich I knew would happen since practicing chi bending isn''t easy.


    "I''m tagging along," Katara said, giving me a playful glare while looking at Toph, who just smirked.


    "For tonight, you can rest. We''ll leave tomorrow," I said.


    "But just one question. Isn''t the desert really far? Even if we travel with rides, it''ll take months to get there," Toph said. As a noble girl from the Earth Kingdom, she was well-educated and well-informed, despite being spoiled and sheltered by her parents.


    I smirked as I put my hands behind my back and looked at Katara.


    Katara''s eyes widened momentarily.


    I felt a little sorry for what I was about to show her.


    She was a very intelligent and talented bender, but because of me, she had developed some inferiority complexes.


    "Look," I said, bending my own blood and floating into the air.


    Toph blinked twice. Since she could only see through the earth, her mind interpreted my floating as a jump that never ended.


    "Ryuk, didn''t you vanish?" Toph asked.


    Katara, on the other hand, looked like her jaw was about to hit the ground.


    I was now floating in the air.


    I could say I was quite uncomfortable, even though I could sustain this for as long as I wanted.


    But damn, I had a paranoia that I shouldn''t mess with my own blood for too long. It''s not healthy.


    "Ryuk¡­ you can fly!!!" Katara exclaimed. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah¡­ I''ve mastered a new trick," I said, flicking my finger. Water from a nearby fountain flew next to me, forming a disk that soon froze. I stopped bloodbending myself and felt comfortable again. Sitting on the disk, I controlled it to float and moved around the room.


    Toph had a drop of sweat on her forehead, while Katara and a few nearby guards stared at me in shock.


    "But isn''t that too cold for Toph?" Katara asked, her voice tinged with concern.


    "Actually, I have a better idea," I said.

 Chapter 63 - 63

    Around Dawn


    Cai, the cabbage merchant, walked up to his cart, ready to start another day of making a profit.


    But then, he noticed something¡ªhalf of his stock was missing.


    In the middle of the empty space was a letter.


    ''Not again.''


    His hands shaking, Cai picked up the letter and began to read.


    [Dear Cabbage Merchant,


    Your cabbages have proven to be delicious, but unfortunately, they are not beneficial to health.


    However, they have uplifted the spirits of our patients and helped them through their ordeals.


    We would like to thank you for this.


    As for the cabbages, we have taken them again to assist more people.


    Thank you.


    Regarding payment, we are sending it to you in the form of prayers.]


    -x-X-x-


    At Dawn


    "Ryuk!!! Where are you going without me!" Sokka yelled toward the sky.


    "Somewhere dangerous! I can''t take you because you''re too weak!" I shouted back from above.


    Currently, I was floating atop a dense, unnatural cloud with two girls behind me¡ªone of them being Sokka''s sister.


    "Stay down there! It''s safer for you. Don''t worry about your sister!" I added.


    "Yeah, don''t worry," Katara confirmed, her voice only audible to us.


    I smirked. Below, Sokka jumped and threw his boomerang, but we were far out of his range.


    I glanced down at the small, artificial flying cloud beneath us. It was warm, dense, and¡ªmost importantly¡ªnot wet, thanks to my control over it. Much better than sitting on a frozen disk for long periods and dealing with frostbite on your backside.


    I could sense Toph''s confusion through the pulse of her system as she sat behind me. This was probably the first time in a long while that she was blind and had no idea what was going on.


    "Are we really in the sky?" Toph asked.


    "Yes," I replied.


    Katara lowered her head, seeming downcast.


    "Hey, Katara, it''s not that you''re bad at waterbending, it''s just that I''m too talented," I teased, guessing what was on her mind.


    She tilted her head and gave me a deadpan look. "We just left my brother behind after so long, and now you think I''m feeling down because you''re flying? Thanks for the reminder."


    "Oh..." I turned my gaze away, trying to fix my blunder. "Don''t worry. He''s safer that way. You and Toph are both strong benders, and you can handle yourselves. Katara, you''re just a few moon cycles away from mastering bloodbending. You''re already incredible with waterbending, almost at master level. And Toph... well, you''re too amazing to even praise."


    And I meant every word.


    Toph stretched out and kicked her legs, but didn''t reply. I could tell she was flattered, though she didn''t want to show it. As direct and confrontational as she was, she was still a girl who could blush when praised... Wait, why was there this awkward tension between us now?


    "Thank you for the praise... though, I''m not feeling down or jealous," Katara sighed. "You''re just... you. I admire you for being who you are. I feel like I can always depend on you and sleep without worrying. No wonder the spirits chose you to be a waterbender."


    Right, back then, I told them that I became a waterbender because some spirits granted me the power¡ªthat was a lie. But it did explain my supposed talent in waterbending.


    I wished I could tell her the truth. After all, I had worked for many weeks to unlock bloodbending, leveling up both my Chi and Waterbending skills through a system. Meanwhile, Katara had learned bloodbending just by seeing me perform it. Though she didn''t succeed the first time, it was clear she had room to grow.


    "Tell you what. If we ever meet other waterbenders, I''ll let you spar with them. I''m sure you''d kick their asses easily." I scratched my chin, trying to hide the flattery I felt after hearing her admiration.


    "I don''t want to," she replied, crawling over and laying her head on my thigh.


    I ran my fingers through her hair for a moment before looking forward. I couldn''t fully immerse myself in the moment, though¡ªI was still the one piloting the cloud. Even though waterbending had become second nature to me, I didn''t have autopilot. Maybe with a bit more training, I could do it subconsciously¡ªmaybe after leveling up a few more times.


    On the other hand, I would need around 700k experience points to level my waterbending to level 16.


    I wasn''t complaining, though. Traveling through the air was bliss, and I could see why Aang was addicted to it.


    At the same time, I felt a bit bad for Azula and the Firebenders chasing after Aang.


    Imagine being so close to your goal, only for it to fly away to the sky, and you can do nothing about it.


    For someone like Azula, I couldn''t help but wonder why she didn''t lose her mind in those moments.


    The girls next to me began to fall asleep, and I didn''t want to wake them.


    As for me, I could easily ignore sleep.


    Better yet, I could use my blood to heal my brain and stay awake.


    -x-X-x-


    It took a couple of days to reach our destination.


    What would usually take a month or more by traditional travel took far less time for me, thanks to my ability to fly.


    And I wasn''t even flying as hard as I could¡ªI took breaks in between.


    "It''s so hot now," Toph commented, stretching her arms as she woke up. "Can we go down?"


    "Wait a bit," I said.


    "Ryuk, I need to do some waterbending," Toph said with a smirk. "You can watch if you want."


    "Why would I want to watch?" I replied, my back already performing waterbending on its own.


    Katara didn''t comment. Instead, she rolled her eyes at Toph, having grown accustomed to her antics. She clearly didn''t take Toph''s flirting seriously.


    "I get it... me too," Katara said.


    "Okay, ladies, I see an oasis. We''ll land soon." I said, then paused. Maybe I should prank them a bit. I could dispel the cloud and let them fall before bloodbending them back into the air.


    But then I remembered The Amazing Spider-Man 2...


    "Okay, we''re landing," I said, switching from flying on the cloud to using bloodbending.


    "Hold on and don''t wet yourselves."


    We started descending slowly from the sky.


    Toph lay on her back, gazing at the clouds.


    "Feels good," she commented.


    On the other hand, Katara''s heartbeat was pounding like drums. She smacked me on the back.


    "Ryuk... you should''ve warned me," she grumbled.


    "Hahaha..." I laughed, amused.


    We soon landed in a town built around an oasis.


    In the center, there was a fountain with an ice sculpture.


    ''Okay, we found the clue for that owl''s library,'' I thought as we touched down. The girls quickly excused themselves to find a ladies'' bathroom.


    As for me? Let''s just say, when they were asleep, I took care of business from atop the cloud.


    ''Let''s hope people don''t think it''s rain. And you now, if no one saw it, it didn''t happen. Like a tree falling and no one hearing about it.'' I thought to myself, suddenly feeling guilty. But hey, when nature calls, you answer.


    Once the girls settled down, I booked a few motel rooms for us¡ªone for me, two for them.


    Afterward, I went to a bar, where a bartender wielded two katanas.


    The strange thing was, he was serving iced smoothies.


    How did he make smoothies in the desert without advanced technology?


    He used the two katanas, slicing fruit and ice with incredible speed.


    Even I was impressed by his precision and speed.


    After that, I asked for alcohol and inquired about any people looking for a library hidden in the desert¡ªor the spot of the red foxes.


    The man seemed reluctant to answer at first, which reminded me of a cliche.


    I placed a few silver coins on the counter, and suddenly, he started acting like a paid informant, smiling and telling me everything I needed to know.


    "So, that''s the tale of the book-stealing foxes?" I confirmed, sipping my smoothie.


    "Yeah, pretty much," he replied, grabbing a freshly washed cup and drying it with a towel.


    "Hmm... I thought as much," I murmured to myself, making sure he didn''t hear me.


    "Make two more smoothies," I demanded.


    He went to grab more fruit just as Katara walked in.


    "So, did you figure something out?" Katara and Toph sat next to me.


    "Yes. There are many brave scholars who tried to find the place I''m looking for, but none have returned. There are dangers along the way¡ªgiant wasp nests and sandbender bandits, known to create desert storms."


    I was getting inspired. If these people could bend dust to create wind or sandstorms, shouldn''t I be able to create a real storm myself with my waterbending? Just steam and friction with air, while controlling the water''s density, should be enough. Maybe I could even create ions and simulate a lightning storm.


    "Sounds fun," Toph replied nonchalantly.


    "Sounds pretty dangerous," Katara hissed, frowning.


    "Hey, just smile," I said to Katara.


    The bartender placed two cold smoothies in front of them.


    They started drinking while commenting.


    "How could they make something cold here? Do they have a waterbender working here?" Katara asked.


    If Aang were here, he would have explained how the ice never melted, and how people sometimes used it for their own gain. One such person was the bartender, who used spiritual ice to provide an endless supply of cold.


    "I''m surprised they have something cold here," Toph remarked. "It seems to be naturally occurring, not made by a waterbender."


    "How do you know that?" Katara asked.


    "My father had a servant who would go to the top of the mountain to get him iced water. Sometimes we got ice from passing waterbenders. I know the difference," Toph replied.


    I sighed. It must be nice to be rich.


    "So, what''s the plan now, Ryuk?" Katara asked. "This seems pretty dangerous."


    "First, let''s settle in," I said.


    I''d already decided to set up a trap.


    Toph might be able to sense through the ground, but I wasn''t sure how well she''d do in the desert. However, I was confident that she could locate the library if guided in the right direction.


    "Okay... I believe you''ve made arrangements," Katara said.


    "He did. I know about the motel. He booked two rooms."


    "Aren''t you well-informed for a girl who''s called by nature?" I raised an eyebrow.


    "It''s not like I did it on purpose. Besides, you''d appreciate it if I had your back," she rolled her eyes. "Not like I''m the only one who spies on people, right?"


    I scratched my chin and said, "Okay, let''s rest for now."


    We headed to the motel, and I went to the men''s section.


    I grabbed a few books from my storage.


    To make sure Toph didn''t see me using otherworldly power, I floated off the ground, went to the window, and placed the books there.


    I had a feeling some foxes would come and snatch them, pointing us in the right direction.


    As for why the foxes would come here instead of anywhere else¡ªit was because my books contained new methods of calculation. I had written about matrices and other concepts this world hadn''t yet discovered. While I wasn''t qualified to write an advanced math book, I managed to fill it with enough content, mixing in some other things as well.


    At the same time, I couldn''t help but wonder how Toph always seemed to sense when I was spying on her, using my extra senses.


    So, this time, I stayed floating in the air and closed my eyes.


    I had always been curious how she could tell when I was staring at her or thinking about her. Sure, she could probably sense my pulse, but she always seemed to notice even without time to be surprised.


    That''s when the shapes started to form. The black screen I had from closing my eyes vanished, and my brain created images that began to move, taking the shape of the entire motel. I could clearly see Toph.


    She was changing clothes, but this time, she wasn''t alone.


    "We should hit the bath. I''m sweating after being exposed to the sun," Katara complained. As a native of the South Pole, her tolerance to heat was a bit off the charts.


    "Yeah, I agree¡­" Toph said, her gaze narrowing. I could tell she was on high alert as she stepped onto the ground.


    "Toph, is something wrong?" Katara asked.


    "Yes. Ryuk just vanished into thin air," Toph replied.


    Okay, now I had a clue about how she figured out I was spying on her. She was always paying attention, and the moment I tried anything, she''d know.


    "What happened?" Katara asked.


    "He''s not connected to the ground," Toph said.


    "Do you think he sneaked off to flirt with other girls?" Katara asked.


    Okay, Katara seemed to be quite up-to-date on what I did when I was away.


    "I don''t think so," Toph shook her head.


    "Sokka''s a playboy, and he''s been around Ryuk for a while. I''m afraid he''s been influenced by him since they''re friends. I can''t help but worry that someone else might steal him away from me." Katara sat down, hugging her legs.


    I couldn''t help but think her action was both sad and cute at the same time.


    "You''re afraid of outside competition, but you don''t see me as one?" I teased.


    "I''m getting used to you," Katara smiled. "Better you than anyone else."


    "Hey, you wanna share?" Toph teased.


    "In your dreams," Katara replied.


    "I can be the first girl, and you can have him when I''m done¡­" Toph shrugged.


    "Keep dreaming," Katara replied.


    Toph smirked. "Isn''t it better me than someone else?"


    "Somehow, I think the opposite is better."


    "And he would leave you then."


    "Ryuk would never leave me for a bitch!" Katara yelled.


    "What if she''s not a bitch." Toph laughed¡ªor pretended to. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Shut the fuck up." Replied Katara harshly.


    I opened my eyes wide.


    I never knew Katara could curse! Damn, she was so polite around me that it caught me off guard.


    That, or Toph was really getting under her skin.


    Well, at least Katara didn''t attack her.


    I shrugged, crossing my legs, still floating.


    Okay, enough eavesdropping on other people''s conversations.


    As fun as it was to see Toph confused and looking for me, I had a brain to use.


    Now that there was nothing to do but wait, what could I do to pass the time?


    If Sokka were here, I''d be teasing him nonstop.


    But he wasn''t.


    "What a drag." I floated to the bed and laid down. Tonight, I was determined to get a full night of sleep. Sure, I could skip it, but with nothing to do, I''d probably just fall asleep. Hey, more sleep meant more psychosocial rest.


    -x-X-x-


    "Ryuk¡­ Ryuk¡­" Toph shook me violently.


    I opened my eyes¡­ why was she here?


    "It''s not the right time?" I replied, assuming she was here to clarify things.


    Luckily, I had an extra sense, so I could immediately tell that Katara was standing right next to her.


    "One of the foxes grabbed a book of yours¡­ and they''re on the run," Toph said.


    It seemed I was the only one who went to bed early today.


    Whoosh.


    I jumped off the bed and was instantly standing on my feet.


    No "five more minutes, Mom."


    "Okay. Girls, you hydrated?" I asked.


    "Yes," Toph nodded.


    "I''ll grab extra water just in case," Katara added, "though the water here is pretty expensive."


    "What do you expect? This is the desert. Water here is more expensive. Sometimes, it''s even more valuable than high-quality meat," I replied.


    "I''ll keep track of him. Don''t take too long," Toph said, walking to the window and jumping out of it.


    Oh, shit. To track the fox, we would need to go on foot, right? Meaning no flying.


    Well, we could chase him on foot to figure out the general direction.


    "Ryuk." Katara, as she was leaving, asked, "I wanted to ask. Has any girl caught your attention around here?"


    She seemed a bit insecure after her talk with Toph.


    "Are you afraid that some bitch will steal me away?" I asked.


    "Yes," she nodded.


    "In her dreams, maybe," I replied.


    She smiled, went to me, stood on her toes, kissed my cheek, and then turned and left.


    I clapped my hands and summoned a water barbell, turning it into a thick, dense cloud.


    Sure, Toph needed to keep her feet on the ground to track the fox.


    But I didn''t.


    "Hurry!" Toph yelled. "It''s getting away¡­"


    "Okay." I jumped onto the cloud and floated out of the window. "Carry on. I''m watching you from this angle."


    Toph clicked her tongue and muttered, "The only time I wish I could see."


    I guess not being able to see me while I was up in the air was making her uncomfortable.


    Katara approached with a few bottles of water around her neck. She extended her hand to me, and I bloodbended her onto the top of the cloud.


    "Okay, Toph, you can run now," I said.


    "Ugh¡­ Just catch up with me," she said, running on the ground. Somehow, her speed surprised me. I wasn''t sure if it was her athleticism or her earthbending, but she was quick like a rabbit.


    I followed her, riding the cloud, and soon, we left the town and entered the desert.


    "Okay, Toph. You can stop now!" I shouted.


    I''d already spotted the fox running with a book.


    Creatures like that¡ªspirits or animals¡ªseemed to have some sort of biological or spiritual compass pointing them in one direction. I guessed this was the general direction of the library of Wa Shin Tong.


    "Can you pick me up now?" Toph put her hands on her hips, looking in my direction.


    "Sure." I bloodbended her up onto the cloud.


    She panted a bit and lay down, her head resting on my hip.


    "Hey¡­" Katara was about to complain.


    Toph lifted a hand. "I¡­ can''t talk right now."


    Since she was panting, I let her be.


    I followed the fox''s general direction, moving at a comfortable speed.


    I wasn''t bothered by the heat of the desert. Since it was past midnight, the desert had gotten cold, but compared to the cold of the South Pole, it was a joke. Plus, it was a dry cold with no humidity.


    Toph caught her breath and sat up.


    "So¡­ what''s going on?" she asked.


    "Can''t you tell?" I asked back, my tone tinged with sarcasm.


    "I can''t see," Toph rolled her pale blue eyes.


    "Sorry," Katara sighed in frustration.


    "Okay, the plan is simple." I clapped my hands to get the girls'' attention. "We''ll cover some distance, check the ground with Toph''s power, and then continue until we find something buried under the desert."


    "Why didn''t you just follow the fox?" Toph asked.


    "Because¡­ It might notice us and change direction to mislead us. It''s not like I''m the only one who knows about book thieves," I explained.


    "Okay, we''ll follow your plan."


    And so we did.


    Every 15 minutes, we''d check the ground to see if we could find the library.


    Needless to say, our search was fruitless.


    Sometimes, a very large worm would jump out of the sand and try to swallow us. Compared to the King Centipede I''d dealt with, these creatures were small, but there were plenty of them. Blind creatures that could dig and hide under the sand, waiting to attack when you let your guard down.


    I shivered slightly, but not from fear.


    I was excited, holding myself back at the same time.


    ''Experience points¡­ but too bad, I can''t hunt while keeping the girls flying. If I fought, they''d be in danger.'' I thought.


    So, I kept moving.


    But suddenly, I stopped.


    A group of men in white veils stood in the sand, moving their hands.


    A massive tornado was forming, heading straight for us.


    "It''s pretty windy tonight." Toph kicked her legs, unaware of what was happening.


    "You don''t say." Katara forced a smile, seeing the massive storm approaching us.

 Chapter 64 - 64

    "It''s pretty windy tonight." said Toph.


    Katara bit her lip, grabbed water from a bottle, and threw it in front of her. The water spread, circled, and created a spinning sphere that froze, trying to take on the wind and the sand.


    Upon contact with the sand, Toph''s eyelids widened.


    "Seems that there are bounty hunters around here," Toph said, cracking her fists. "I need something to beat up."


    "Should I crack their eggs?" Katara asked, clearly in a vengeful mood.


    Whenever Toph teased her or did something to annoy her, Katara would be in a bad mood for the whole day and might take her anger out on someone or something else.


    "Hold on," I said.


    Because it was the desert, the air was quite dry, and it was hard to see with my extra sense.


    Well, it''s not like I couldn''t spread more water.


    But I still had my eyes.


    "It''s okay." The storm enveloped us, but the water barrier held firm. The cloud we were on dissipated, and we had to land. I bloodbent my team to lessen our fall. As we landed, the cloud spread widely, allowing me to scan the surrounding area with my waterbending sense.


    I could locate about 40 men hiding, and a few of them were visible.


    "There are more hiding under the sand," Toph said. "They''re earthbenders who specialize in sandbending."


    I put my hand under my chin.


    "They have good qualifications to learn metalbending quickly," I murmured.


    "Are you serious?" Toph rolled her eyes. "They just tried to kill you. Do you think if we fell from the sky, they would miss the hundred thousand gold?"


    "To be fair, I would do the same if I were them," I said, cracking my fingers. "But they''re not very trustworthy."


    "Okay, let me deal with them," I smiled.


    To be fair, even if I were desperate to get them on my side, I would pass without hesitation or regret.


    Nutcracker.


    That was a title I had earned after sparing the life of a bounty hunter, who spread the tale.


    At first, I thought I''d have an intimidating reputation that would make people avoid messing with me.


    But it gave my allies a title to tease me with.


    Fuck!


    "Okay," Toph said. "You have 50 seconds."


    "50 seconds, why?" I asked, looking forward.


    Four men were gliding on the sand from every direction.


    "I''m quite frustrated," she replied. "Don''t you feel anything?"


    I tilted my head, spreading my waterbending sense, trying to feel if any danger was approaching. Then I realized she had used the same sentence I used to confuse her into confession.


    "Ughh¡­"


    A groan of pain escaped the mouth of one of the visible sandbenders.


    Katara was pointing her hand at him and pulling backward.


    She might not be powerful in bloodbending without the moon, but she could move small limbs.


    She could also make the balls clash against each other.


    The man who had been gliding on the sand lost his balance and then held his groin as if he were in pain.


    No matter how good you are at bending, or acrobatic dances, it''s all useless in the face of bloodbending (Nutbending). The only way to win against one was to do it like Korra, which was to have plot armor that suddenly gives you airbending while nerfing the bloodbender you''re facing.


    "Wow¡­" Toph put her hands on her hips and said, "She''s quite pissed off, isn''t she? I wonder what happened to her?"


    I gave her a side glance, as if she didn''t know what she did to piss Katara off. I had heard part of their conversation, and I could tell that Toph knew exactly why.


    "I don''t know," I replied, deciding to focus on the task at hand.


    Since I did want to clear my name, I decided to take the lead.


    There were about four sandbenders that I could leave for Katara to fight.


    At the same time, I decided to ask Toph. "How''s your vision under the sand?"


    "Not accurate, but enough to deal with them," she replied confidently.


    "Okay." I clapped my hands. The moisture in the air gathered again and compressed into a cloud that headed toward me.


    I had located where the sandbenders were hiding.


    Instead of attacking blindly, most of them had been hiding and observing our way of fighting. It was a good strategy, I admit. It was even better considering that I was rumored to defeat many benders at once and even kill a full squad of bounty hunters.


    But they didn''t have full information about my abilities, and that was their mistake.


    It would have been better if they all attacked at once and didn''t ruin the element of surprise. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But I guess ignorance isn''t always bliss.


    After all, you can mess with the wrong guy based on the wrong data.


    I jumped, and the cloud, now about 1x1 meter in size, landed under my feet and carried me.


    I scrolled around at a speed no human could achieve without bending power.


    From under the sand, two figures flew as I swept by, and they continued chasing me.


    They tried to struggle and resist, so I increased the chi input. In other words, I increased my bending power.


    They started shaking and groaning in pain, which wasn''t the worst I could inflict.


    I continued doing so until I found about 30 benders under the ground, and I bent them all at once.


    It was quite mentally taxing to bend all of them at once. So, instead of bending with my mind alone, I used my hands as well. I raised my arms, and all of them rose about 10 meters in the air.


    You may think this was a cruel thing to do.


    But this is the Avatar world. People here had bizarre physical strength compared to humans back on Earth. Firebenders could handle normal fire without getting their skin burned. Waterbenders could handle extreme coldness without getting frostbite. And earthbenders had higher physical power than the rest.


    I slammed my hand down, increasing the speed of the sandbenders'' fall, crushing them into the sand. I then lifted them again. I controlled their arms and legs, bending them to apply pressure on their backs.


    Sure, the groans of pain were quite disturbing.


    The girls who had been holding off against five stopped what they were doing and looked at the scene in front of them with wide eyes.


    "No wonder you said you''re not a good bender," Toph commented. "That''s another level of skill¡­ even I can''t take on such a number at once."


    "I know," Katara said. "But he''s charming, isn''t he?"


    "Yeah¡­" Toph replied casually.


    Katara gave her a side glance.


    "Katara, come over here and tie their legs and arms with ice, leave a couple of them standing," I said.


    Katara nodded and walked over to the bloodbent people.


    Sweat had already appeared on my forehead.


    Damn. This would have been much easier if it was the full moon.


    Or it could have been much easier if I decided to freeze them on the spot, which I wasn''t in the mood for.


    These guys were after me for one reason.


    Money.


    "What are you planning to do with them?" Katara asked. Since they had their arms and legs bent behind their backs, it was easy to tie them up.


    "Well, they wanted my head for money," I smiled. "So, I''m going to take all of their money. If they refuse, I know how to torture them. All of them are dudes."


    I glanced at the group defeated by Katara, who were still groaning in pain and rolling on the sand, unable to do much more.


    "I guess you''re right," Katara said. "So, how do we split the money?"


    "I thought you said money isn''t important?" I asked Katara.


    "I said giving your head for money is a crazy and dumb idea, which I still stand by," she scoffed. "But money itself isn''t bad. It can feed you, dress you, and pay your rent. Sokka''s been complaining about getting some¡­"


    "He''s at a royal palace now. As a guest, with Bumi taking care of him, he doesn''t need money," I assured her. "Now, let''s take their money."


    I turned to the ones who could still talk and weren''t groaning in pain.


    "Guys, I believe you know that my reputation precedes me. So, I won''t repeat what I''m saying. What do you prefer, your life or your money?" I added.


    Of course, in response to my question, it wasn''t what I was expecting.


    They turned their heads, seemingly having to make a hard choice.


    I guess it''s logical. After all, if they risked their lives to make money, then money is the same as their life.


    "You know, I love twisting the nuts." I raised my hand and made a V symbol with my index and middle fingers. I slowly started turning them.


    "Oh¡­ Stop! I''ll talk!"


    One of them cracked faster than I had expected.


    "You idiot."


    "Shut your trap."


    "Do you think money is less important than small balls? Since he''s greedy, we should negotiate with him first."


    "Fuck you guys! I didn''t sign up for that! Without my balls, what use is money to me?" The man who cracked panted, sweat dripping down his face.


    Katara turned her head and waved her hand in front of her face. "That''s embarrassing," she muttered.


    "I agree¡­" Toph joined her.


    I clapped my hands, and all of the hunters here lost consciousness except for the one who cracked.


    [+50k accumulated experience]


    [Waterbending +5k experience points]


    I approached him and asked about the location of their clan and where they hid their money.


    He gave me all the information I needed.


    After that, I bloodbent him to fly along with me to the location of his tribe with the girls on the cloud.


    I tried to sneak into the tribe without making a sound, and since I had a stealth skill, it was an easy job. In no time, I managed to locate their treasury. I grabbed all the money I needed, gold, jewelry, and even coins from different currencies.


    I got the heavy stuff in my storage while grabbing the rest in a bag.


    After that, I met the girls by the tribe location.


    The guy who snitched was left to live and tell the tale. The others too.


    ''If I don''t let them live, my title would be Nutcracker.''


    "Ryuk," Toph, who had her hand on the ground, said, "I think I''ve found a structure under the sand. It''s not too far."


    "You mean¡­" I paused.


    "Yeah, a building under the sand," she said. "But I can''t see it clearly."

 Chapter 65 - 65

    After hearing what Toph had to say about the existence of a building under the sand, the tribe of bounty hunters and their money didn''t matter to me anymore. I was just a few steps away from the closure of the Hundred Year War. And the most important piece of information was about to be revealed to me.


    "Let''s go," I said. I didn''t believe I had spared all the adults here, but I had already gained experience points from defeating them. Plus, I had taken all their money, crippled most of their legs, and beat them up badly. That should be enough to change the title I had no consideration for right now because I was a few steps away from the big revelation.


    "Toph, lead the way," I said.


    She pointed her finger in a direction.


    "It''s around seven thousand meters this way," she replied.


    "Okay." I nodded and activated my power. Since I was in a hurry, I didn''t summon the cloud and just carried them with me through bloodbending.


    We floated in the air, and in no time, we were seven thousand meters away.


    Traveling was so much faster with the ability to fly. After we landed, the girls massaged their necks. Katara seemed to be doing fine resisting the side effects of flying with bloodbending, but Toph didn''t. To be fair, bloodbending myself to fly didn''t cause as much distress as it did to Toph. Katara seemed fine. I guess there''s something about waterbenders having higher resistance to bloodbending. If I remembered correctly, a stronger waterbender can counter a strong bloodbender despite not having control over their body.


    "You could have used a cloud," Toph grumbled as her feet landed on the ground. She walked a few meters left and right until she regained her mobility.


    "Sorry about that," I said.


    Toph stomped and spread her arms wide. A line spread from her feet and extended across the sand. From the line, the sand parted in two different directions, revealing a pathway leading to an entrance.


    "Though, I wonder, how did you ever know about this place?" Toph asked. Now that she knew I''m from the South Pole and had only been here for a couple of months, it made sense to wonder.


    "I saw people talking about it," I replied honestly. After all, I had seen people in the cartoon talking about it.


    "You''re very honest," she said. "And very lucky. To hear about a place you need to find as soon as you get here."


    "Hahaha¡­ I''m so lucky," I replied, laughing. Then, a serious expression took over my face. I walked with sturdy steps, the girls following behind me.


    I instructed Katara, "Hold Toph''s hand, in case there''s a slip and we fall."


    "Alright." Katara sighed and extended her hand.


    Toph rolled her eyes. "Don''t think I''m a helpless blind woman. It''s just in case it''s a trap, so that''s your responsibility since I''m being dragged by you guys."


    Katara chuckled. "Sure."


    Toph held Katara''s hand.


    I entered through the door, and all of a sudden, I found myself falling inside a large library.


    And by large, I didn''t mean your typical large library. I could tell it was the size of a town¡ªno, a city. With building-sized shelves that were stories high and wide. Books filled them, and bridges could be spotted everywhere.


    ''The fall itself isn''t dangerous¡­'' I thought as I decided to test the fall damage.


    Wan Shi Tong''s library didn''t exist in the physical world, but in the spirit realm. It was one of the locations that linked the material world with the spiritual one.


    As I landed on my feet, I didn''t feel much pain. The fall didn''t inflict as much damage as I had expected.


    Soon, I was followed by Katara and Toph. I could hear their screams as they plummeted.


    I extended my hands to the left and right, boosting my physical strength with Chi.


    The girls landed in my arms, princess-style, both of them holding each other''s hand.


    Seeing how Katara had a fearful, shocked expression on her face, I chuckled a bit. She heaved a sigh of relief.


    On the other hand, the most scared¡ªor frightened¡ªone was Toph.


    I guess she didn''t have much experience falling from great heights while being "blind" all of a sudden.


    To me, she wasn''t really blind. After all, her brain''s visual parts could use the vibrations from the ground to work. So falling like this must be terrifying.


    "That was surprising." Toph clung to me like a scared cat and hugged me, her arms around my neck.


    I felt quite uncomfortable with the strength of the hug, and I accidentally sniffed her neck, which smelled nice.


    Luckily, I had bloodbending to prevent things from getting¡­ awkward.


    "Okay. I think we''re done. And leave the talking to me." I lowered my arms and put them down.


    The sound of wings flapping echoed.


    I turned my head to see a large humanoid owl landing in front of us, with an imposing height of three meters.


    The owl was black with a white face, and it looked majestic. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Visitors¡­ we no longer welcome humans in this library," the owl said.


    Katara flinched and kept looking up. "It can talk."


    "Who are you?" Toph asked, tilting her head.


    It was their first time seeing a spirit.


    Well, it was my first time too¡­ but I was more prepared than them.


    "I am Wan Shi Tong, he who knows ten thousand things," said the owl.


    "He''s the spirit of knowledge," I clarified.


    "You seem to be knowledgeable," he said. "I''ve seen that you set that little trap for my foxes."


    "Oh¡­" I tilted my head. "So, it was you who assisted the sandbenders who tried to capture me."


    "I had a deal with them, to protect the location of my library against strangers. When they heard about someone asking about my building and my foxes, I tasked them to stop you," he said. "But it seems they did a bad job."


    "Is it that bad to seek knowledge?" I asked him.


    Wan Shi Tong was a spirit who was sick of humanity''s destructive nature.


    What''s worse was that General Zhao burned the section of the library that contained information about the Fire Nation''s military.


    "Is it that good to destroy and kill your fellow humans?" he asked.


    "Do you think I need knowledge to defeat them?" I said. "What do you think happened to the sandbenders?"


    The owl paused.


    He turned his head and produced some sound I couldn''t understand.


    A fox ran toward him and whispered something.


    "Under fifty seconds, you say?" he repeated after his fox.


    "I know, I am very strong, and knowing something more has nothing to do with the outcomes of the fights I''ll have." I said proudly.


    The owl turned to me and deadpanned. "Seems your humbleness is your brightest feature."


    "I''m that awesome," I replied confidently.


    Why wouldn''t I be proud of what I achieved anyway?


    I had risked my life over and over to get it.


    "Very well," Wan Shi Tong said. "What can you offer to enter my library?"


    "I can make you Wan Shi Tong, he who knows more than ten thousand things," I challenged.


    The owl tilted his head. "Do you think you''re funny?"


    "Haven''t you read the books your little minion stole?" I smiled. "I wrote them."


    The owl made that weird sound again. It seemed like some kind of secret language.


    The fox left and came back with a book that the owl started reading. With each page he flipped, his eyes widened.


    "This¡­ This¡­ How do you know this!" he asked, eyes wide open. "It''s my first time seeing something like this. The examples proves it work¡­"


    I mean, with no Pythagoras in this world, there''s no way they''d know about the Pythagorean theorem.


    Not to mention, I had made a book full of examples and problems.


    He read another book.


    "The Sin and Cosine¡­ How to measure a mountain with a pencil," he repeated while skimming.


    "I can even teach you how to calculate the diameter of this planet," I said as I crossed my arms.


    It was useless mathematical knowledge for me anyway. But for scholars, it was a gold mine.


    The owl gave me a look that only a crazy fangirl would give an idol.

 Chapter 66 - 66

    Theoretical mathematics. In this world, it has little to no practical application unless used in advanced topics like complex mechanics or chemistry. But to someone like Wang, calculating the size of the sun based on a shadow, or the size of the planet using the height of a mountain compared to sea level, would be a very interesting subject.


    People in times like the Avatar''s era valued literature deeply. Those who wrote poems and stories also valued all types of sciences, knowledge, and philosophy. To be valued by the latter would be good to get respect whenever you go.


    "Since when did Ryuk become smart and know arithmetic?" asked Toph.


    "He''s always been good at counting things," Katara replied. "But now that you mention it... wait, since when was he dumb in the first place for him to ''become'' smart?"


    "I dunno. He does act goofy sometimes," shrugged Toph.


    ''I am still here. I can hear you, you know.'' I thought.


    I forced a smile at Wang as he gave me an admiring look.


    "You''re a very bright one. Based on your theory¡­ you can measure and calculate many things," he said.


    ''Wait until you hear about algebra. Though you''ll have to wait for other fields to develop before you can use it.''


    As someone who became an accountant, I had studied very advanced math at university¡ªmostly theoretical stuff¡ªonly to end up using basic math at work.


    So yeah, I felt pretty good showing off my knowledge to Wang. Anyway, the knowledge I shared wouldn''t help anyone much on the battlefield unless they knew more about physics and wanted to apply it to launching projectiles or explosives.


    I rubbed my ear and said, "Sorry, didn''t you say, or hint, that we''re not welcome in the library?"


    "Well, if your purpose is sharing knowledge, you''re welcome to stay as long as you like. I just don''t appreciate visitors who destroy my books or use the knowledge to harm others," he said.


    "Okay, girls, read calmly and don''t cause trouble," I said. "Katara, just go to the fiction section so you don''t get bored. As for Toph, can you read?"


    "Fine by me," Katara shrugged.


    Toph nodded calmly. "As long as I''m standing on my feet, I can scan the whole book as long as I focus. Though, I''ll need a bit more time to process the words and understand them. I''d say three minutes is enough for me to finish an entire book."


    It suddenly hit me.


    Toph could be the fastest reader alive.


    Some people could read up to 200 words a minute. Some maybe 400, which is considered fast. The technique involves memory and eye speed. But in her case, she didn''t need to move her eyes to read. She didn''t need to read word by word. She didn''t even need to open the book.


    It made me realize something.


    I could use my water-sense to become a speed reader too¡ªmaybe by focusing on the water particles in the air and around the ink.


    ''But that would take time to learn. Toph has been using her extra senses for years, so it''s second nature to her.''


    "Too bad you can''t enjoy it," I shrugged.


    "I know, I finish faster than most men do. You can call me a premature reader," she shrugged.


    I chuckled and laughed. That one caught me off guard.


    "I don''t get it," Katara said, glancing between Toph and me.


    And to be honest, I was even happier that she didn''t get it.


    "Come with me, I''ll explain it," Toph said as she grabbed Katara''s hand and guided her somewhere deeper into the library.


    I was left alone with the owl.


    We walked together.


    He asked, "So, when are you going to be free?"


    "Free for what?" I asked.


    "For knowledge exchange. Do you know any more advanced arithmetic?"


    "Arithmetic¡­ sure, I know plenty," I said. "I can teach you how to count fast."


    "It strikes me as odd¡ªyou''re a native of the South Pole. How could...?"


    "Barbarian?" I said. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "An uneducated person from an uneducated place knows this much?" he asked.


    "How do you know we''re uneducated?" I asked him.


    If I wasn''t mistaken, in the canon timeline, Sokka was the one who managed to predict the eclipse and the comet based on minimal reading and some ancient tools.


    Also, in the South Pole, even the grandmas knew how to read, and most adults did too.


    It''s not like we had a ton of jobs to do, and there were always stories written on the skin of polar dog bears and polar wolves.


    "We''ve never managed to get a book from you¡ªor your cousins," he said. And by cousins, I assumed he meant the people in the North Pole.


    "Maybe because it''s too cold?" I replied. "Besides, other than old myths about spirits, what else would you find?"


    "Fair point¡­ and besides, there''s not much connection between your people and the rest of the world like there is with the North Pole to share literature," he nodded. "But I never knew your people were good¡ªor advanced¡ªat math."


    "No, they''re not," I replied. "But we''re fast learners and creative people."


    "It seems you''re just a genius," Wang said. "Anyway, I''ll leave you to read. I''ll check in later."


    -x-X-x-


    I wandered through the library and noticed how well-organized everything was. I picked up a few books from a shelf to see what they were about. Sure enough, books on similar or related topics were placed next to each other.


    It was very easy to navigate this library.


    Wang probably knew about the Hundred Year War.


    If I wandered toward the section on the comet''s date or astronomical predictions, I might raise his suspicion and we''d be kicked out¡ªif we were lucky. If we weren''t lucky, we might get locked up here forever.


    And spirits, especially ancient ones, were powerhouses. It would take many benders to deal with even one. Not to mention, even the Avatar in the Avatar State would have trouble fighting them.


    Speaking of spirits, I was curious about spiritual power.


    Maybe the Air Nomads would have something on it.


    After all, the Air Nomads were monks, very much fascinated by the spiritual realm.


    I walked around aimlessly.


    I figured I still had time¡ªby that, I meant a couple of weeks¡ªso I decided not to rush things and tried to read something.


    I stopped by a book called The Art of Cooking.


    And suddenly, the word "Bitch" crossed my mind.


    I picked up the book.


    Suddenly, a notification rang in my ear.


    [You''ve found a skill-tree skill book: Cooking.]


    [Do you want to learn?]


    Learn how to cook?


    Hell yeah.


    [Skill: Cooking has been learned.]


    Hold on a second.


    I started to wonder why the hell I never knew about this¡ªthis whole function of learning skills through books.


    I widened my eyes.


    ''I''ve never read a book, even after regaining my memories from my previous life¡­''


    I put my hand on my head.


    I stared at the ceiling of the library and felt like a big idiot. Sure, I''d felt like a bigger idiot at times¡ªlike wondering if a girl was flirting with me or just being nice, only to realize it was the former.


    I skimmed through the book and read it.


    [Cooking Skill +500 exp]


    [Cooking up to level 3]


    I know I came here to learn about Sozin''s Comet.


    But, you know, sometimes distractions happen.


    And believe me, I wasn''t that distracted.


    I bounced back fast from the detour and refocused on my goal.


    [Cooking +++]


    [You have achieved half-step grandmaster]


    [Cooking ¡ª Level 12 (50,000/120,000)]


    Yeah, believe me.


    A large pile of books was stacked beside me.


    All of the recipes I''d learned, along with knowledge about fire control, texture techniques, and more, were engraved in my muscle memory and mind as if I''d been a chef for a decade.


    ''I guess I could use this as a chance to level up the skills I couldn''t afford to waste precious experience points on,'' I thought.


    Things like Martial Arts. Stealth. Hunting¡­ etc.


    I might even unlock new skills.


    Although it would take a bit more time, it was a side quest with a high reward, so I decided to go for it.


    I picked a random book, which didn''t hold any skill or anything, just pure knowledge, and I got this notification:


    [Knowledge is a result of experience]


    [+500 accumulated experience]


    -x-X-x-


    Meanwhile, Wang was observing Ryuk. He was quite surprised to see him absorbed in cooking books, reading them with such passion.


    It seemed, according to the psychology books, that the new visitor was more interested in gaining knowledge than learning how to take his enemies down.


    Those who were educated were surely above the pettiness of war.

 Chapter 67 - 67

    As my mom from my previous life used to say, neglecting reading and gaining knowledge was an awful thing to do. And at this point, I guess she was right.


    With each book I read, and each notification from my system, I felt a pang of regret. Why the hell hadn''t I figured this out earlier? Because I never attempted to find out.


    A skill book could give you a skill.


    And a wisdom book could give you experience points, free experience points.


    For me, this library had become something like a dungeon.


    Although most of the books didn''t give me thousands of experience points, they were still valuable. The thicker the book, the more experience points I gained. Not only that, but I was becoming a more knowledgeable person as I learned many things in the process.


    "Okay." I put one book down.


    I grabbed water from a bottle and made it swirl around my hand, then placed it on my head to heal my brain.


    To get the most effective reading I could, I decided to reteach myself speed reading.


    With the brain hack of waterbending healing, I managed to relearn it quickly.


    First, you train your memory, then your eyesight, and then combine them. With each re-heal, I could read faster and faster, and my short-term memory improved much quicker. I didn''t do much¡ªjust tried to recall what I had read after a page or saw a large number and tried to recall it on the spot. Of course, that got better.


    ''Just one more night of sleep, and I''ll get the max effect from this,'' I thought to myself as I felt myself getting sleepy.


    I had earned around 50 thousand experience points for free.


    And I had leveled up my Stealth by reading books about the arts of assassination and footwork.


    [Stealth 10 -> 13]


    [Hunting 9 -> 15]


    [New Skill has been acquired]


    [Medicine up to level 4] sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That''s enough for today, I thought as I laid down next to a bookshelf.


    Seeing me in this state, a fox approached me and nudged its head against me.


    I could understand what it was trying to say without it speaking a word.


    I said, "Sure, you can take them back to their place. I''m done."


    Even though I had healed my brain repeatedly to modify it, there was a limit to my willpower. Simply healing my brain couldn''t replenish the used energy¡ªWillpower. But my motivation was high, so I could keep pushing forward. I just didn''t want to push myself too hard and burn out. So, I took a well-earned break.


    I had upgraded two of my skills to a high level.


    Hunting and Stealth may seem like petty skills compared to Steam or Freezing.


    But they are deadly in a battle.


    Even if I lost my bending power, with just hunting and stealth, I could wipe out units alone.


    Just give me a bow and an arrow, and with a wide range and accuracy of 99%, I''m pretty sure I would be a deadly force in a battle.


    Hunting could even aid my waterbending skills by improving accuracy and giving me the power to hunt enemies from further away.


    As for stealth, I''m pretty sure that even Toph would find it hard to keep track of me.


    After all, the growth was exponential, just like leveling up.


    I laid down and stared at the barely noticeable steam in the air.


    The steam carried sounds, which didn''t belong to spirits in this spiritual realm.


    -x-X-x


    "He got so tired and feel asleep," Toph said.


    Currently, she and Katara were lying down, using two thick books as pillows while reading.


    They were originally here to wait for Ryuk to finish his job.


    But after Toph had spied on him¡ªthe floor was made of stone, so she could use it to sense things¡ªthey realized that he had drifted from the goal he had mentioned, which was finding out about the date of the comet''s descent.


    Both of them were smart enough not to talk about Ryuk''s goal, especially since Wang had strongly hinted at his strong dislike for using knowledge in wars.


    At the same time, they spoke in code to each other.


    They said things like:


    ''He must be going around instead of taking a shortcut.''


    ''Yeah, I''d do the same if I wanted to mislead someone.''


    They were talking while pretending to read.


    But after Ryuk lost track of his original goal, they knew they would be here for a longer time.


    So, they grabbed some fiction books to read.


    While Toph found no joy in reading¡ªsince she could finish a whole story in no time¡ªKatara was very immersed and impressed.


    Katara had been thinking of copying the stories or even asking to take them with her.


    But she knew it would be difficult if she attempted to, so she just wasted her time in the stories.


    Toph just laid next to her, forcing Katara to read aloud for her while keeping track of Ryuk''s movements.


    "I don''t get him. First, he read all about cooking, then some assassin stuff, and then some hunting stuff¡­" Toph said, her hands on her stomach.


    "Mmm¡­" Katara, who had stopped reading for Toph, pondered her words. "To confuse your enemy, you must confuse yourself."


    "Well, smart girl. What was that about?" Toph turned on her side, propping her head up with her hand and elbow on the ground.


    "It''s in this story. That''s what the man did before going against his third family-in-law." Katara said.


    "Third?" Toph raised an eyebrow.


    "Maybe you didn''t hear me right. They discovered that the hero''s third wife''s family was running a slavery business. So they gathered a group of four benders to counter them. The wife is involved, too." Katara said, seeming to be immersed.


    "The hero must be loved for all of his girls to work together," Toph said, "sounds like us, albeit they''re more."


    Katara closed the book and frowned.


    "What are you trying to get at?" Katara asked.


    "Nothing, just talking about facts," Toph said, her face blushing.


    "Seriously. You can have any other man, yet why are you after Ryuk?" Katara asked.


    She may be an over-caring woman, but she wasn''t oblivious. She had seen how Toph was looking at Ryuk. She could even notice some tension between them. But she chose not to bring it up, not wanting to trigger a fight, which could lead to a breakup or something else she didn''t want.


    "A man, like who?" Toph tilted her head and deadpanned.


    "I don''t know. Isn''t my brother handsome enough? He goes after girls left and right."


    "But your brother isn''t Ryuk."


    "What''s so special about him¡ªother than being overpowered?"


    "The way he looks at me!"


    "Huh?"


    "From the first time Ryuk met me, he never gave me that pity look. He treated me like a normal person. Even your brother looks at me like I''m a helpless blind girl. Even after knowing what I''m capable of, he gave me that pity look, like he thinks I''m living in the dark. Ryuk didn''t even take my taunts seriously, and he''s a good listener. He notices when I''m fine and when I''m not. I also feel safe around him, and I love him!"


    Toph paused when she realized that she might have over-spoken.


    Katara looked at her, jaw slightly dropped. For some unknown reason, Katara felt bad. Tears welled up in Toph''s eyes.


    Not knowing what to do, Katara did what she always did.


    She offered Toph a hug.


    "Must have been tough for you¡­" Katara said.


    "You don''t say," Toph replied, her voice back to normal.


    "I never knew you felt that way," Katara comforted her. "Sorry for not noticing."


    "Sorry for saying that. I should have kept it to myself." Toph sighed.


    "No need to apologize," Katara sighed, "you only expressed how you felt, and it must''ve been tough to keep it to yourself."


    "Yeah¡­" Toph said. "But you and Ryuk have something. Just because I was jealous, I shouldn''t have¡­" She trailed off.


    "I know where you''re coming from," Katara said. "But you have to understand. I love Ryuk, and I don''t want to lose him to anyone. I can''t risk it."


    "Yes, me too," Toph said. "Though I never got down on him."


    Katara gave her a side glance.


    "Well, don''t worry. He''s not the kind of guy who would leave you," Toph assured.


    "I know¡­" Katara sighed, clearly seeing through Toph''s attempt. But over the time they traveled, unbelievably, she ended up considering Toph a friend, and she felt bad seeing her that way. Besides, having a couple of wives wasn''t uncommon in her continent, apparently.


    "If you and Ryuk are okay, then I''ll be okay," Katara pinched Toph''s nose. "But if you try to turn him against me or steal him, I swear, I''ll bloodbend you until your body breaks into pieces, and nothing''s left of you."


    "Hahaha¡­ You''re a very good girl, Toph." Toph made a forced laugh as Katara went from comforting to threatening.


    What was worse? She was totally honest, and Toph could verify that through her heartbeat.


    "Though, I won''t promise you anything," Katara said. "I just see how you and Ryuk have tense moments, and I''m not doing this for you. I just don''t want him to leave me for another girl."


    If there''s one thing she had learned from these novels, it was that women would go after a man with strength and power. And at the rate Ryuk was going, he''d be at the top of those two.


    -x-X-x-


    ''Okay¡­'' I, who had leveled up my Stealth skill, managed to fool Toph into thinking I was asleep. ''Oh, shit.''


    I''ve heard everything.


    I didn''t dare move to avoid making Toph and Katara realize that I''d heard them.


    I felt bad for Katara, who seemed terrified at the idea of me leaving her, so she accepted polygamy¡ªwhich seemed normal in this area. Exclusive to the rich, rare, but practiced more than on Earth.


    And that threat to Toph.


    Even Toph didn''t doubt that it was just an empty one.


    And for the record, as someone who came from Earth, I had to doubt my hearing.


    ''Am I hallucinating after reading so many books? But that''s a system that gives me knowledge. Or is it that healing my brain over and over messed with it?''

 Chapter 68 - 68

    After a long nap, I woke up and reviewed some mathematical calculations I had done the previous day, just to make sure my brain was functioning normally.


    Thankfully, it was still fine.


    I knew I''d be in an awkward situation when I eventually met Toph and Katara, but since it seemed to be normal in this reality, you know what they say: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." When you''re in Alabama... well, I''m not sure. I just know the memes.


    Anyway, back to my romantic life. There was nothing I could do about it now. Just accept it and move on.


    I decided to focus on what I could control and not waste time thinking about things beyond my control.


    So, I continued grinding, accumulating experience points and leveling up what I could.


    I concentrated on reading fiction and wisdom books that didn''t teach specific skills, occasionally reading up on medicine.


    I had to say that learning how to read quickly came in handy.


    I didn''t need to reread books over and over to memorize them. Simply finishing a book would grant me experience points, which was enough for me. And if the book was related to a skill, I would instantly master its content.


    This library was a cheat code.


    After about six hours, I had gained around a hundred thousand experience points, purely through accumulation.


    I knew this was a bit broken, but I wasn''t complaining.


    It might be slower than hunting beasts, but it was more consistent, especially considering the endless number of books here.


    "I guess I should figure out how to come back here¡­" I muttered to myself.


    A figure approached me.


    It was Wang.


    He asked if I had a minute¡ªor a few hours¡ªto spare, and I agreed to exchange knowledge.


    He led me to a table, handed me a pen and paper, and asked me if I had any extra knowledge to share.


    I tried to talk to him about basic arithmetic, to which he replied that he already knew it. That''s when I knew I had to level up my game.


    So, I asked him if he knew how to sum the numbers between 1 and 9999. He said it was possible, but it would take a long time, and there was a high chance of making an error because of the process''s length.


    I then showed him a modern method and gave him the result instantly.


    He doubted me, so he had to count himself. I must say, his face was priceless when he filled a dozen pages and got the same result I did. He even rechecked it. When I explained the logic behind the method, he gladly accepted it.


    ''I guess all those all-nighters I pulled in my previous life weren''t a waste. Man, to this day, I''m still wondering what use imaginary numbers have,'' I thought. But the answer was obvious. ''Nothing. The only thing that matters in this world is power, and that''s the end of the story.''


    After talking more with Wang, he left me to continue my studies, gladly.


    I had asked him for some food, for me and the girls. So, he sent some of his foxes to the spirit world to grab us something to eat.


    Afterward, we were called to a large hall.


    We sat there, the three of us, with foxes serving food.


    "They''re cute," Katara commented, looking at one of the foxes. "I want to pet him."


    "They''re intelligent creatures. They may take offense to that," I advised, speaking as casually as possible while pretending not to have overheard any private conversation.


    The fox went to Katara and let her pet him.


    Then, the fox moved away.


    I extended my hand toward it, trying to pet it.


    But it barked at my hand and threatened to bite it.


    Katara covered her mouth with her hand and giggled.


    "I guess you''re more of an owl person," she said.


    "Well, at least I can pet someone," I replied, extending my hand toward Toph, who was sitting next to me. The table wasn''t large, so we weren''t far apart. I also wanted to test the waters¡ªsee if they were serious about their last conversation, or if I had misheard something.


    Toph, short enough that her legs didn''t touch the ground, didn''t have her extra senses activated. My patting her on the head caught her by surprise. She blinked, her cheeks turned a bit red.


    "Woah¡­" she yelped, taken aback. But she didn''t push my hand away.


    Katara exhaled a long breath and said, "You''re supposed to pat me, you know."


    "Are you jealous?" I asked, teasing.


    "Maybe," she matched my tone.


    I extended my hand to her and patted them both.


    Now, the girls weren''t stupid. I had never attempted to do this before with both of them. So, they must have realized that I had overheard their conversation when they thought I was asleep.


    "Ryuk, there''s something about you¡­" Toph started.


    "What?" I asked.


    "Somehow, I''m sitting next to you, yet I can''t feel your presence until you touch me," she said.


    "Oh. I''ve been practicing sneaking up lately."


    "No. I have hyper-senses. I can feel ants crawling from miles away. I can even hear sounds that people don''t usually hear. But you seem invisible." She lowered herself in her chair enough for her feet to touch the ground.


    "Never mind. You''re really here. For a second, I thought you became a ghost," she said.


    "I don''t know, maybe because this place is in the spiritual realm," I said, retracting my hand. "Anyway, I''m pretty hungry."


    I didn''t have a good explanation for my stealth skill, other than calling it a natural talent or blaming it on the spiritual place.


    But it was nice to know that even someone with hyper-senses couldn''t find me.


    With bloodbending and flying power in my hands, I''d be a nightmare assassin to someone like Toph.


    We got to eat the spiritual food, which was quite similar to real food but different.


    It was vegan, for sure. But I couldn''t complain¡ªit was flavorful and sweet.


    The girls seemed to enjoy the food more than I did. Toph liked it, but only to a normal degree. As for Katara, she seemed to be having the best meal of her life.


    I guess it made sense, considering she was used to the South Pole diet. That sweet fruit sugar must taste sweeter to her than to anyone else in this world.


    ''Now that I think about it, during our travels together, we ate more meat than fruit.''


    After the meal, I gave Katara a small kiss on the lips before patting Toph on the head. I excused myself to continue my study.


    I would have loved to try for some sex, or maybe even a threesome if I were having the luckiest day of my life. But I figured the owl would take offense to that, and I didn''t want the spirit of knowledge getting mad at me.


    After dealing with the world outside, I planned to return to this library and finish every book to squeeze out every last experience point.


    It wasn''t out of pure love for the experience points. I just despised the situation the universe had put me in. If I had the chance to reach the max level, I was going to take it¡ªeven if there was no war.


    I started strolling around, looking for the section on the Fire Nation. I wanted to find some historical information to figure out the date of the comet''s arrival. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I had originally planned to read books about Chi and spiritual energy, but I figured it was better to gather the intel I needed first.


    When I arrived at the Fire Nation section, it was burned to ashes.


    I clenched my teeth, knowing exactly who had done this.


    He was called Admiral Zhao¡ªor Commander Zhao, I wasn''t sure.


    But what I did know was that he had messed with potential experience... my rightful experience points.


    I decided to calm down and visit another section to read books on predictions. You know, there are those who like to put their predictions in books and boast about their mathematical abilities¡ªlike trying to figure out when an eclipse would happen or when the stars would align.


    I figured that section would have predictions about the Sozin Comet, since it was the reason the Fire Nation dominated the world. It was more important than knowing when the moon and the sun would align.


    When I reached that section, it, too, was burned.


    "Son of a bitch!" I cursed, knowing exactly who was responsible.


    "Please refrain from cursing. You''re above that petty human," Wang''s voice echoed.


    He appeared from the shadows of the library.


    "How could you let him go after what he''s done?!" I said, genuinely angry.


    It had been a long time since I wanted to beat someone up this badly.


    "It''s unfortunate that he escaped," Wang said. "But I''d snatch his soul and throw him into the mist of lost souls if I ever get my hands on him."


    "How about a deal?" I looked at Wang. Maybe this could work out to my advantage

 Chapter 69 - 69

    "What''s your deal?" Wang asked.


    I was furious at the person who had burned the history section, leaving me to do a lot of math to calculate the date of the comet, which I already lacked data for. Wang was also angry at the same person, but for different reasons. We were on the same page. The only difference was that Wang couldn''t leave his library to chase after that man. Me? Well¡­


    "I''ll bring you that man, alive, to your library," I declared, my voice firm. "And you''ll give me another way to enter your library. I don''t want to have to go to the desert and search for you every time I need to come here," I added.


    Wang''s foxes were everywhere in the world.


    The gate I entered through didn''t lead to a physical building. It was simply a portal to the spirit realm. I knew that if I walked out of the library through another door, I''d find myself in the spirit world or another location in the physical realm. So, I figured there must be other gates to this library from the outside world.


    Wang chuckled. "That''s not hard. All you have to do is meditate until your mind is clear. Then, you''ll be able to project your soul into the spirit world. When you''re there, just think of the library, and you''ll be there in no time."


    "Oh¡­ but how do I bring him?" I asked.


    "Hm¡­ I have different gates. Just communicate with me when you get him, and I''ll send you a fox to guide you," he replied.


    "Alright¡­ but, Mister Wang, wouldn''t meditating take a long time to master?" I asked, secretly hoping to get an edge.


    "It''s about your spiritual appetite. You have a high chance of entering the spirit world, I can tell," he replied.


    "I was just thinking¡­ Do you, in your library, have a way to increase spiritual energy? We know it outside as Chi," I requested. "It would help me enter the spirit world faster."


    You know, it''s always a good idea to ask the librarian for a book instead of wasting time searching through millions of them, only to find a method that may not work.


    Wang pondered for a long time before responding.


    "But that''s not something I could easily give you," Wang said. "You''ll have a lot of power, and that would allow you to hurt many people. The Firebenders have stolen mechanical knowledge from brilliant minds, and as a result, countless lives have been wiped out."


    "No. That''s because of Sozin''s Comet, and Sozin''s decision," I countered. "If I had to blame anyone, I''d blame the Avatar for being so soft¡ªunable to kill his friend despite knowing his ambition."


    "So, you''re supporting violence?" Wang asked, his tone disappointed.


    I shook my head. "So, you''re telling me that the life of one murdered person is worth more than the millions he killed? And I''m not just talking about the attack. I''m talking about the soldiers who followed him to that end!"


    Wang replied, "Still, knowledge shouldn''t be used to harm others. As a mathematician, you understand that, don''t you? You know how it gives you a sense of identity¡ªa sense of purpose without being a murderer. Something many people lack."


    "Listen, Wang," I said. "If I wanted to kill, it would be so easy. I can bloodbend anyone in my way and tear them to pieces if I wanted. On the battlefield, I''m unstoppable. Ask those sandbenders of yours if you want." I pretended to sigh and shook my head. "The only thing I want is to be able to visit your library and exchange knowledge. But if you think I''m just greedy for power, think what you like. I don''t have to prove anything to you." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wang pondered for a moment. "You''re powerful enough to take on a whole squad by yourself¡­ Fair enough."


    Learning how to gain more Chi would be useful to me.


    But I didn''t need Wang for that.


    I could simply wait for the full moon or spend time in the ocean to increase my spiritual power, thanks to my Chi bending.


    But if I found a way to increase it faster, I''d take it.


    After all, I had fantasized about invading the Fire Lord''s palace, threatening to do something unspeakable in front of his daughter unless he pulled his forces out, just to show him he wasn''t the only psychopath around¡ªand that anyone could be evil to him.


    Aang wasn''t wrong when he said, "Harming people is easy, but forgiveness is hard."


    And I''m someone who loves to take the easy road.


    I replied, "Well, if you don''t want to, I won''t force you."


    "I apologize for doubting your purpose," Wang said. "I see that you really are desperate to return here whenever you want."


    Well, he wasn''t lying.


    To see bookshelf-sized shelves full of books¡ªexperience points¡ªwould be temptation enough for me. Millions of experience points were here. What would a few months of grinding be but an irresistible temptation?


    "And I apologize if I crossed the line with my words," I said, giving a slight apologetic bow. "I didn''t mean to be rude."


    "Wait here," Wang said.


    He flew away and returned with a scroll.


    "You''re a waterbender. Your people may not have the power to use lightning, but your element has spiritual applications. This is spirit waterbending. It helps you bond with both good and evil spirits and affects weaker spirits. It also allows you to connect with the Moon or Ocean spirits, if they like you. But never use this knowledge for evil, or else I will hunt you down personally."


    Spirit waterbending? Didn''t that refer to the method Korra''s uncle used to manipulate spirits and calm evil ones down?


    "Is it related to Yin-Yang applications?" I asked, taking the scroll from him.


    "You''ve already got a good idea of that," Wang said. "Anyway, are you leaving now?"


    "Yeah, I just need to do one more thing," I replied.


    Now that I had an extra way to reach the library, I decided to do one more thing before leaving.


    "Like what?" he asked.


    "Experimenting with astrology. You know, I''m getting tired of having to rely on the sun or other people to find directions," I said, my words laced with hidden intentions.

 Chapter 70 - 70

    "Well, you could help yourself," Wang said. "Just make sure you don''t have an extra schedule before immersing yourself in the wonders of knowledge."


    I laughed. "Sure thing, Mister Wa Shi Tong."


    The owl turned and walked away. I let out a sigh of relief internally. I had risked offending this spirit to get what I wanted, and I was quite happy with the results.


    I looked at my hands, holding the two scrolls. One contained a spiritual breathing technique to project the soul into the spirit world, and the other was a method to increase my Chi¡ªwhich would require me to travel to the North Pole.


    But on the other hand, with a cloud under me, I didn''t think I would have to waste much time.


    All I needed now was to find two more pieces of information.


    One: the date of the comet, through the old-school method¡ªgeometry and history.


    Two: the date of the eclipse.


    I could invade the Fire Lord''s palace at that time, and I could make an assumption about the comet''s date based on that.


    And if the method for increasing spiritual energy worked too well for me, I might even be able to take on the entire Fire Palace alone with bloodbending.


    Well, steam bending and waterbending would be enough for me. After all, I could freeze humans or dehydrate them completely in a matter of seconds.


    I opened the scroll for the method to visit the spirit world.


    [Skill has been learned.]


    [Spiritual Meditation.]


    [Meditate to enter the spirit realm.]


    [Using accumulated experience.]


    [Spiritual Meditation up to level 6.]


    [Can now enter the spirit world.]


    [Spiritual Meditation up to level 10.]


    [Can now enter the spirit world in a matter of 3 seconds.]


    I guess three seconds was plenty of time. I wouldn''t need to use more experience points.


    On the other hand, I was glad to have the extra experience points. What would take others talent and practice came easily to me in just a few seconds.


    Then, I opened the second scroll.


    [+2000 accumulated experience points.]


    I understood the scroll.


    So, in short, I had to get one of the fish to like me.


    The scroll didn''t mention the location of the fish, which happened to be the Moon and Ocean spirits who had given up their immortal forms.


    But I had a very good idea of where they were.


    The library is burned¡­ I thought. That means General Zao has been here. Yet, the fish aren''t dead. This makes sense because the only reason he went to the North Pole was to chase the Avatar. But at the same time, I believe he''s waiting for a good reason to go to the North Pole and kill the spirits. So¡­ I need to give him that reason.


    I guess this was where the Order of the White Lotus could come in handy.


    I then arrived at another section with a calendar showing the movements of the moon and the sun. I guessed it calculated the positions of the moon and sun based on the date. I fiddled with it for a bit and realized that we had about one month until the eclipse.


    I didn''t know exactly how far that was from Sozin''s comet, but I knew it was close enough.


    That meant there was no use in freeing the Avatar now.


    I stretched my arms up, left the library section, and went to where Toph and Katara were waiting. Both of them were asleep, so I waited a few hours before waking them up. I asked them to get ready to leave, and they did. In no time, I summoned a cloud from a bottle of water and flew us out of the library, finding ourselves in the desert.


    I flew us to a nearby town. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, I held a book titled The Order of the White Lotus for Dummies.


    I gave it a quick read and memorized everything at once.


    There was a nearby spot to exchange information.


    All I had to do was say the code, and I''d be good to enter.


    "So, where are we heading?" Katara asked.


    "To find your brother a wife," I said.


    I mean, if things went the same as in canon and his canonical girlfriend didn''t turn into the moon, he would be fine.


    "What a funny joke. It''s killing me," Katara rolled her eyes and deadpanned, not seeming to take my words seriously.


    Toph chuckled.


    "Anyways, let''s go to the motel, pack our stuff, and leave," I said. "Meanwhile, I''ll go gather some info."


    "Do you know anyone around here?" Toph asked.


    "No. But I know how to find out," I replied.


    After reaching the desert town, the girls went to the motel to gather their things. I went to a nearby flower shop. I gave the shopkeeper the code, and he replied with another code, indicating that we were from the same organization. I gave him my White Lotus token, and he got me in.


    We chatted for a bit, and he was kind enough to make me some tea¡ªbless him. I drank the tea while asking for information about Zao from the Fire Nation. At this point in the timeline, he had made it to General before the Avatar had even appeared. He wasn''t overseeing just a few bases; he was living with his family at one.


    My plan had been simple: make General Zao attack the spirits, save the spirits, and have the spirits owe me, giving me spiritual power.


    But to make the first part happen, I needed to provoke him.


    "He''s living with his family. Interesting. He''s not afraid for their safety despite the crimes he''s committing?" I asked.


    The older man replied, "He''s quite confident in the defenses of his fort. Besides, we haven''t been able to establish a branch in his base. He''s very careful and very cruel at the same time. We haven''t found any weaknesses in him yet."


    "Oh, boy," I smirked widely, forming a plan.


    So, Zao was quite confident in his defenses. But did he know that the full moon would arrive in three days? And for the next three days, it would shine brightly in the sky.

 Chapter 71 - 71

    After making my plan, I left the desert town on the cloud with the girls. Our destination was Omashu. On the road, I noticed that the dynamics between Katara and Toph had become less aggressive. Toph stopped being aggressive in her speech¡­ mostly, and Katara was treating her normally, like she would treat another human being who wasn''t a firebender.


    But no one had brought up what they discussed in the library. I know it''s weird to bring it up, especially with a war going on.


    I stared at the sky above me and sighed.


    Currently, I was flying, heading to Omashu to bring my brother-in-law, and then tell Bumi what I had found out.


    Sozin''s comet was closer than I had expected, and awakening the Avatar wouldn''t do much to change things. This meant I should take matters into my own hands.


    ''This silence is bothering me. I should break it¡­ Okay, what do I talk about? The weather? That would work if I were a taxi driver¡­ Let me see¡­ right. I studied medicine in Wang''s library¡­ so, let me see.''


    I turned to Toph and stared at her, examining her eyes. They were quite pale, but they seemed healthy. The blood vessels were there.


    At the same time, she had the ability to see through earthbending, using vibrations.


    You know, people don''t see with their eyes, but with their brains.


    We have blind spots, yet the brain has ways of filling them in.


    When you''re dreaming, you can see even without using your eyes.


    If that means something, it would mean that Toph''s brain''s visual parts were working and had somehow adapted to the vibrations. I was curious about how she saw things. After all, she wouldn''t have any idea what 2D figures were.


    So, her brain wasn''t the problem.


    I guessed the issue with her vision lay with the optic nerve.


    Normally, surgery would be enough to fix it, but there was no advanced medicine in this world.


    "Am I not good-looking enough?" Katara crossed her legs and scorned me.


    "Toph¡­" I said, ignoring Katara. "Do you want to see?"


    "Sure, why not?" Toph replied with sarcasm.


    "Let me try this¡­" I pointed my hand at her and bloodbent the liquids around her eyes and inside them, channeling my Chi there.


    "Argh¡­" Toph moaned in pain and held her head. "What did you do to me?"


    Katara gave Toph a concerned glance.


    "Trying to fix things up," I said. "Okay, Toph. The things that will appear are what we usually see. You may find it surprising that there are objects, and you see them only from a certain point of view¡­"


    I had learned how to see using the water in the air, and let me tell you, there was nothing such as seeing from a point of view. It was quite omniscient.


    Toph blinked twice. Her eyes seemed to gain a bit of color, but still pale.


    "What is this¡­" she asked, waving her hand in front of her. "What''s that color? And why does that thing move whenever I move my hand?"


    Usually, for someone to see for the first time, it would take months to years to adapt and learn things like distances. But it would take less for her, since she already had an idea of space and three dimensions. I guessed she would have a hard time understanding 2D things like pictures, but she''d probably get the hang of it in no time.


    "Toph! This is amazing, you can see!" Katara screamed and hugged her.


    I smiled a bit, feeling good about myself for doing something good.


    "Wait¡­ is that what you guys call seeing?" Toph asked, gazing up.


    Katara pulled away and stared at her. "What did you do, Ryuk?"


    "Nothing, just healed some nerves," I replied to Katara before turning to Toph. "What you see now is what we call images. I guess¡­ it''ll take you a few weeks to months to adapt. Try to use it whenever you have a chance."


    "Okay." Toph nodded and closed her eyes. She narrowed her eyebrows and asked, "Hold on a second. Why am I still seeing?"


    "Huh?" I tilted my head. "Your eyes are closed."


    "There''s¡­ what you guys call it¡­ colors. There''s one color," she said.


    "That''s what happens when you close your eyes," I shrugged. I guessed she wouldn''t be able to see nothingness anymore.


    "Aren''t you happy with that?" Katara asked, seeing Toph lying down and opening her eyes.


    "It came as a surprise," Toph replied. "I know it''s reality, but I''m afraid I''ll wake up. Also, I seem to be unable to understand what I''m seeing. I''m hell of confused."


    "Give it a few weeks," I said.


    Toph simply nodded and kept her eyes open.


    Katara sat next to me and began chatting about her condition, as if she wasn''t listening.


    I talked with her until she changed the subject.


    Toph, on the other hand, acted as calm as possible. But at the same time, I knew she was burning with excitement inside. Yet, she wanted to keep up appearances and not seem like a happy girl in front of me. I guessed that mentality developed while fighting in underground arenas.


    The trip to Omashu didn''t take long since I put more energy into it.


    When we arrived at the mountain range, we were welcomed by the guards at the entrance of Omashu. Then, the rest of the trip was on foot. Omashu was still the peaceful city it had always been. Yet, I could see the difference I had made.


    A few dozen soldiers were practicing metalbending, and others were trying to learn dustbending.


    I made my way to the palace''s main hall immediately. While Toph and Katara went to rest, I had an audience with Bumi.


    As much as I hated talking seriously with crazy people, I had no choice, since this crazy guy was extremely intelligent and a king.


    "Hahaha¡­ welcome back, Ryuk. How was your trip?" Bumi asked.


    "Very nice. I even met one of our guys," I replied casually.


    "Haha¡­ Our guys. Glad to see that you''ve developed a sense of belonging," Bumi laughed, seeming to be in a good mood. Well, he had always been in a good mood.


    "Did you find anything on your journey?" Bumi asked, cocking his head forward.


    "Yeah, I found out that having the Avatar is useless right now, since there isn''t enough time for them to learn all four elements," I nodded. "And we have about a month to turn the tides."


    "What do you mean?" Bumi asked as his crazy, happy expression shifted into a serious, stiff one.


    "The eclipse is in a month. During it, firebenders will lose most of their powers¡­ that would be a good day to start a war," I said.


    Sure, the eclipse would last for only an hour or two, and a war might not be won from the start of that day. But if the earthbenders united and struck the Fire Nation bases that day, they could free a continent from the Fire Nation, and their next confrontation would require the arrival of Sozin''s comet. By then, the Fire Nation would have lost much of its force, and we might be able to resist. Or better...


    Bumi blinked twice and massaged his temple. "That''s too much to take at once." He raised his hand. "And about the comet¡­ did you find the exact date?"


    "No. But I believe it''s just a few months after the eclipse," I replied confidently. I could always go back to the library and find out the exact date of the comet. But I had a job that had to be done.


    "I''ll take your word for it," he said. "Anyways¡­"


    "Ryuk!!! You traitor bastard!"


    A scream echoed through the royal hall.


    I turned to see Sokka, standing in martial arts attire, glaring at me.


    I guessed he was angry that I ditched him.


    "Oh, come on, don''t be petty. It hasn''t even been a week¡­ I guess," I said, as I hadn''t been counting the days. I didn''t know for sure, but Sokka seemed to be angry.


    He approached me. "You tricked me with a martial arts book, took my sister, and left me behind. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"


    I smiled back. "I do. But tell me, who is more capable of protecting her? Besides, she''s with her husband, isn''t she, brother-in-law?"


    I knew I shouldn''t be teasing him, but it was quite fun.


    Sokka clenched his jaw.


    I examined him.


    "Looking at you, I see you''ve buffed up a bit. Not bad. Did you practice right?" I asked.


    "Yeah," he replied, clenching his fist and taking a martial arts stance. "Wanna see the results?"


    I raised my eyebrows. "Are you sure?"


    "If you don''t use your bending power, I''m pretty sure I can kick your ass any day of the week," he declared, his voice full of vigor.


    I laughed and put my hands in my pockets, walking forward.


    Bumi, amused, crossed his legs and said, "I''ll allow it to happen here."


    "Bring it on," I invited him.


    Sokka clenched his fist and punched me as hard as he could. But I didn''t budge. I could sense that his fist had more power than usual. Not only that, but I could feel a hint of Chi infused into it. He was getting the hang of the modified martial art I had created.


    But you know, an amateur is nothing compared to a grandmaster. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Serve you right?" Sokka scoffed.


    "Are you planning to hurt me with your words?" I asked, looking at my chest. There was more Chi in my chest muscles, and more power than in his attack.


    "Impossible." Sokka took his hand back, looking up at me.


    "Here''s another lesson: You''re still weak¡­" I said.


    I raised my foot and kicked him gently. And by gently, I mean I kicked him in a spot where I wouldn''t hurt his internal organs. Sokka found himself flying and rolling on the ground a few times.


    If Katara saw me, she''d probably scold me.


    But hey, we were sparring, and he started it.


    After he stopped rolling, he looked at the ceiling.


    "What was that?" he asked in a quiet tone.


    "That''s real power," I smirked at him, and he floated toward me against his will. He struggled a bit, but he couldn''t get out of my bloodbending effect.


    "Here''s another lesson: You know how to determine the winner in a real fight. They either admit defeat, or they continue until one of them dies. So¡­" I said to him as he stopped in front of me.


    Sokka rolled his eyes and sighed in frustration.


    "Okay, you win. Happy?" he complained.


    I let him out of my control.


    "Hey, you started this," I shrugged.


    "You''re the one who left me behind," Sokka crossed his arms and turned his head, upset.


    He somehow resembled someone I knew very well.


    I chuckled. "You''re acting like your sister would."


    "Hahaha!" Bumi, sitting on his throne, laughed.


    "Ryuk!" Sokka yelled.


    "Anyway, pack your things. We''re going to find you a wife," I said.

 Chapter 72 - 72

    "For sure, you were fucking with me," Sokka complained, looking down at the cloud. "How are you going to find me a wife in the sky?"


    "Language, Sokka!" Katara scolded him.


    I sighed deeply. Sokka might think I was lying, but I was being honest. If there was a way to get him off my back and not let his sister drag him along, it would be to make him go away by sticking him to another brother-in-law. In this timeline, I hoped the Northern Tribe would keep him forever.


    But before going to the North Pole, I''d cooked up a little scheme.


    I was going to do things I wished I didn''t have to do. But they were necessary for my plan to work, to fulfill my deal with Wang, and to make the ritual with the spirits of the Moon and Ocean easier.


    I laid down and looked up at the sky.


    "We''re making a stop before finding you a girl," I clarified.


    "Hope you''re not talking about me," Toph teased. She was slowly reaching toward her foot, touching it repeatedly¡ªtrying to grasp the concept of depth.


    "Absolutely," I replied. "I wouldn''t hand you over to him no matter what. You''re staying with us."


    Katara didn''t say anything, but she narrowed her gaze at me. It wasn''t a gaze of anger¡ªit was suspicion. She seemed to think I''d overheard their earlier conversation.


    "Yeah, sure, we all agree on that¡­" Katara said in a cautious tone. She looked like she wanted to bring it up, but held back, probably because her brother was there.


    Toph, who had to rely on her sight now that she was sitting on a cloud, smiled. She couldn''t feel our pulses or emotions.


    "Glad we''re on the same page," said Toph.


    ''Okay. On the ground, Katara''s the clueless one. In the clouds, Toph is.''


    ''I guess Toph really likes to read people through their vibrations,'' I thought, analyzing her. My heart pounded a little, but hey¡ªwhen in Rome, do as the Romans do.


    ''I wonder how this will develop later¡­But since I''m about to invade a base and piss off someone, I''ll focus on that first.''


    And so, we flew for a few more days. I put more energy into it, and we didn''t take breaks until we reached the northwest of the continent.


    On the last day, we finally took a real break. Real rest, real sleep.


    Katara and I trained under the full moon as usual, and Toph joined us for a chat.


    "Okay, Ryuk¡­ I''ve been meaning to ask you," Katara said. "Did you hear anything from the library?"


    "Yeah¡­" Toph smirked and crossed her arms.


    "Not really," I replied, dodging the question.


    "He''s lying," Toph said.


    I gave her a glare.


    "Ryuk, I won''t be mad," Katara said.


    "I was just asleep when you said you''d bloodbend Toph to nothing," I replied. That was one of the scariest things I''ve ever heard in my life.


    "He''s honest," Toph confirmed.


    Katara chuckled.


    I crossed my arms and sighed. "What? You girls forming a team against me?"


    "What if we are?" Toph placed her hands on her hips, standing in front of me.


    Katara stood beside her. "What are you going to do about it?"


    Pretending I didn''t know anything wasn''t going to work.


    So, strike the iron while it''s hot.


    I might mess things up forever. Or maybe¡­ I''d live in glory.


    "What can I say? I''ll just have to deal with both of you." I held Katara''s and Toph''s chins and smirked.


    Both of them blushed but didn''t move my hand or complain.


    Katara gave me a hug and looked up at my face. "So, you think you''ve got enough power?"


    Toph hugged me too. She was short enough that I had to lower my head. She looked up. Seeing her like that¡­ I had a biological reaction.


    She smirked. "I think he''s got enough balls."


    Yeah, that reaction throbbed.


    "I''m happy to see you two becoming good friends," I said.


    I wasn''t some clueless Shonen protagonist, but I still couldn''t bring myself to say the words out loud¡ªjust like they weren''t saying them either. We hinted, danced around it.


    "Well, I think she deserves to be with us," Katara said. "Toph''s a bit clueless¡­ so it''s best to have her around."


    Clueless? Katara, if only you knew what Toph had seen her parents do¡ªthings no kid should witness. You wouldn''t call her clueless.


    "Yes, and you''re such a sweet, polite girl," I said. Even now, I still couldn''t believe Katara had threatened to bloodbend Toph into pieces if she ever messed with our relationship.


    "So¡­" Toph asked, looking up, "what do we do? It''s not exactly proper to do it in front of each other. And Sokka could show up at any second."


    Yeah¡­ Sokka had gone to find food. That''s why I never bring enough food. Gotta get him out of the way sometimes.


    "You''ll get used to it," I waved her off casually.


    Toph and I both noticed Sokka off in the distance. He was punching the air¡ªimagining he was fighting someone. Probably me. Secretly pissed at me for teasing him few days ago, I guess. But he''ll get over it soon.


    "Okay¡­ I''ll let you guys have your private chat. I''ll go help my brother," Katara said, sighing. She stretched and added, "Ryuk, keep your energy. I didn''t get any action at the library, and I need you at full strength."


    "Okay¡­" I replied casually.


    Then it was just me and Toph.


    She was the first to break the silence.


    "So¡­ you heard everything, right?" she said. "Can''t believe it slipped past me."


    "I know. But to be fair, it''s your fault for thinking I was asleep," I replied. It''s not like I''ve ever kept my long-distance hearing a secret.


    "So, you''re okay with dating me too?" Toph asked. Then she shook her head. "Well, obviously you are. There was definitely some tension between us." Her face was slightly blushing, eyes trembling.


    I matched her tone. "Obviously. I''m going to kiss you now."


    She smirked. "That''s what I like."


    She rose slightly on her knees to match my height and placed her lips on mine.


    And we kissed for a while. I had to admit¡ªit felt amazing. Like a wave of stress washed away. I was literally fighting myself not to grind against her, seeing how cute and vulnerable she looked.


    She pulled back and tucked a hair strand behind her ear.


    "That was fluffy," she said.


    "Yeah. It was," I replied.


    Katara returned with her brother, and we sat in silence. I kept a stoic face, but Toph''s face was tomato red.


    Sokka sat next to me and started chatting.


    I asked what took him so long. He said it just took longer than usual. I glanced at him sideways and rolled my eyes.


    After the conversation, I walked to the shore. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Far out at sea, lights lit up the night.


    In the distance, a bright point shimmered¡ªit was a Fire Nation naval base. I knelt at the shore and touched the water. With the full moon and the ocean beneath me, my Chi surged, and my power grew. My water sense sharpened.


    [The Moon Spirit is lending you its power]


    [Bending power boosted]


    [Chi energy increased]


    "Okay, Sokka. Get some rest. We''re about to execute our plan," I said.


    "What plan?" he asked. "Weren''t you supposed to find me a wife?"


    "Forgot to tell you¡ªI''m cooking a scheme. Just trust me," I said.


    "Alright, I''ll trust you this once," he replied, sighing.


    A cloud rose from the sea and landed in front of me. Katara and Toph were already on it. I hopped on, turned around, and waved at Sokka before flying off into the night.

 Chapter 73 - 73

    "Okay, girls," I said as I floated near the Fire Nation''s naval base, catching the attention of Toph and Katara.


    I needed to give them a heads-up about what was about to happen.


    To be honest, even I was hesitant about what I was about to do.


    But it was a necessary evil.


    "What is it?" Katara placed her hand on my shoulder, her tone laced with concern.


    "For the next few hours, I''m going to turn into someone I don''t like. Please¡­ don''t think it''s really me. I''ll be pretending."


    I had already given them a heads-up about the plan¡ªwell, the end result anyway. The goal was to drive someone to the North Pole. According to an ancient scroll I got from Wang, the result would be a significant power boost. They were aware of the comet too. If we didn''t gain that power before comet day, the whole continent could be doomed.


    And in this timeline, even Toph and Katara were more¡­ open to killing. It honestly surprised me, especially from 17-year-old Katara. But to be fair, her mother had been killed by the Fire Nation, and she hadn''t met Aang or absorbed his monk-like morals.


    "Oh, just that." Toph waved a hand dismissively. "I was afraid you were gonna say something like¡­ you were gonna be gay or something."


    What a taunt. I gave her a wide-eyed glare.


    She noticed. Her smile widened.


    "Did you just open your eyes wide?" she asked, trying to confirm the light signals firing through her brain. After all, she hadn''t used her eyes in a long time. It was fair to say she was like a toddler seeing the world for the first time, trying to figure it all out.


    Katara clenched her fist and punched Toph in the shoulder. She clearly wasn''t a fan of that comment.


    Toph just giggled, clearly enjoying herself.


    I turned and sighed. "Whatever, girls. Just do your parts. Kick some ass. Toph, you take care of the metal base. Katara, this is your chance to practice bloodbending."


    Katara bumped her fist into her palm. "Leave it to me."


    It didn''t take long to fly five kilometers. Soon, we stood before an island-shaped base with a fortress in the center.


    I flew over the metal walls and jumped off the cloud.


    As we landed, we spotted a few soldiers standing around, chatting. They stopped and turned toward us. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Finally, I can see well," Toph smirked at the soldiers in front of her. "Boo," she said calmly.


    One of the soldiers screamed like his life depended on it.


    "An enemy is invading!" he shouted.


    And I let him shout.


    He ran to the nearest bell and rang it.


    I clapped my hands. "Toph, Katara¡ªwork together. I''ll knock down whoever gets in my way and leave the rest to you."


    Soldiers began gathering from all directions.


    There were dozens.


    Then they became hundreds.


    And they just kept coming.


    Hands in my pockets, full of confidence, I walked forward.


    "Look at that idiot, thinking he can take us all on his own."


    "Should we fry him or grill him?"


    "I don''t know. Turn him to ashes. That''s what he deserves."


    The firebenders took their stances, preparing to strike.


    But alas for them¡­


    They couldn''t move.


    I smirked as I stared at the army in front of me.


    Had it been any other day, I wouldn''t have even thought about taking on this many.


    But this was a full moon.


    And we were above the ocean. My waterbending was naturally boosted.


    Not to mention¡ªit was night. Firebenders are strongest in the sun.


    Which meant only one thing: they were at their weakest, and I was at my peak.


    The bloodbent soldiers in the front line began to twitch and twist, their limbs contorting as they groaned in agony.


    "This... this is too much pain¡­"


    "Why can''t I control my body?!"


    "Someone help us!"


    Then they dropped, unconscious.


    I kept going, taking down hundreds at once.


    God, I loved bloodbending. It was the most broken form of bending.


    "Girls, take care of whoever''s left," I said, hands still in my pockets as I walked toward the eastern part of the base. I could sense the soldiers'' quarters¡ªand in one of the homes, I sensed a family.


    It was time to insult everyone here.


    [Ding. You have defeated 300 soldiers in one go]


    [+350,000 accumulated experience points]


    [Waterbending +200,000 EXP]


    Okay, that was a huge gain for very little effort.


    Toph and Katara looked at me strangely¡­ well, Toph had her eyes closed, but I could feel her stare.


    Katara shrugged. "He did say we wouldn''t recognize him."


    "Yeah¡­ Ryuk never provokes first. Or spares people on purpose." Toph nodded. "Seems like he''s here to flex."


    "I trust him," Katara said.


    "I can tell he''s uncomfortable with this whole act," Toph agreed.


    "Anyway, looks like we''ve still got some left." Katara extended her hands and moved her fingers. A few firebenders started levitating¡ªbloodbending was nearly second nature to her now.


    As for me, I headed toward the residential area. I found a house that was way more luxurious than the rest.


    I walked up and knocked.


    A man in servant''s clothes answered. And by "servant," I don''t mean tux and gloves¡ªhe wore plain Earth Kingdom attire.


    "Who are you?! Do you know who lives here?!" the man yelled.


    "Didn''t you hear the bells?" I asked. I mean, seriously¡ªthere were hundreds of soldiers gathering outside.


    "Well¡­ what bells?" he asked.


    "Hell''s bells," I tilted my head and smiled.

 Chapter 74 - 74

    I entered Commander Zhao''s residence. I must say, it was quite luxurious, and I could tell he was a very rich man with a lot of money.


    I knew I was here to piss him off.


    But to see all these golden trinkets in his house¡­ man, I couldn''t help but use my water sense to check if he had any hidden cash around. My bet was that he had some illegal money that he couldn''t keep in the Fire Nation''s banks.


    Anyway, I started looting his house. There were some servants around. One of them was a firebender who tried to attack me, but he got his ass kicked as soon as he made a move.


    I collected everything that caught my eye and stored it in the system''s storage.


    You may be wondering, "Ryuk, what the hell? You just exposed that you have the power to store things in nothingness."


    At this point, I had so much power that I didn''t care what anyone thought.


    They could even think it was magic.


    I turned my head to the side.


    A few servants and maids were standing by the wall, shaking. I pointed at one female maid. She flew toward me against her will, and I grabbed her by the throat.


    "Take me to where Commander Zhao''s family lives. Or else¡­" I threatened.


    "No¡­" she cried.


    I felt a pang of guilt.


    But I was trying to save two nations¡­ three, if you count the Water Tribe as two nations.


    And I was trying to defend the thing I valued most: freedom.


    My point was, sometimes you had to be harsh when it''s necessary.


    "Are you sure?"


    "They will kill me if you don''t."


    "Fine."


    I lifted my finger and knocked out everyone in the room except her, using bloodbending. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was some minimal experience gain, but I didn''t even care.


    "You can speak now. I''ll tell them you were knocked out."


    "She''s on the third floor, by the southern window."


    "See? That wasn''t hard." I smiled, then knocked her out and gently set her down on the floor.


    I had taken General Zhao''s money. Now it was time to take his honor. At times like this¡­ well, at any time and place, your family was your honor, especially your wife. Even in the Earth Kingdom, a cuck would be mocked no matter where he went, even in heavily supported LQBBTDSQERA societies.


    Imagine how it would be here.


    And of course, I wasn''t going to assault his wife or kids.


    But I knew a way to make it appear that I did.


    I made my way up, taking down anyone who got in my way.


    Soon, I stood before a large door. I kicked it down. A three-year-old child stared up at me with golden eyes.


    "Who are you?" he asked.


    I squatted down, extended my hand to him, and replied, "You can call me Daddy."


    "But you''re not my father."


    "I know. But my parent''s named me Daddy." I patted him on the head. I pretended to reach into my pocket, grabbed a candy from storage, and handed it to him.


    He tasted it, and his eyes lit up.


    I grabbed another candy.


    He extended his hand toward it.


    "Who am I?" I asked.


    "Daddy¡­" he replied. "Give me candy."


    "Good kid." I smiled and handed it to him. "Sit in the corner. More is coming."


    "Thank you, Daddy." said Commander Zhao''s son.


    I then made my way to the balcony. I stood there and turned to find a stunning woman. She had bright black hair, sharp features, full lips, and a curvaceous body. Her breasts were big, her hips were wide, and her skin looked so smooth.


    "Are you Zhao''s wife?" I asked, resisting the urge to get a boner.


    "Please," she pleaded, "don''t dishonor me."


    I shook my head. "What do you mean?"


    "Don''t rape me!" she yelled.


    I extended my finger toward her and raised my head. "Have you seen how you look, ugly pig?"


    "What?" she said, her eyes wide.


    You know¡­


    My plan was simple.


    Insult Commander Zhao''s wife.


    And let his wife manipulate him into chasing after me to kill me. Of course, he wouldn''t be able to, so he''d go try to kill the spirits of the ocean and the moon.


    As for why I was so sure my plan would succeed, it was simple: faith in the evolutionary process. Beautiful, weak women had the power to make men do anything, including fight other people without lifting a finger.


    "Actually," I made a disgusted face. "A pig would feel insulted being compared to you."


    And the moment I thought of a pig, my erection died instantly.


    Yeah.


    For the first time in my life, I was acting like a dick.


    I continued insulting Zhao''s wife, and I felt bad the entire time.


    She, weakly, stayed there and cried.


    "Just kill me if you''re here to do so. There''s no need for you to talk like that."


    I slapped her. "Did I give you permission to talk, bitch?"


    She held her cheek and silently stared at me.


    I sighed.


    "I came here to cause havoc, but seeing you like this¡­ my mood''s ruined. I''ve changed my mind. I''m leaving."


    I jumped off the balcony and walked away.


    On my way out, I encountered a soldier in different armor than the rest. His armor was more majestic, if you could call it that. He had a half-bald head, and his hair was tied.


    "Who are you, and what have you done to my family!?" he screamed, igniting fire from his fists, forming a whip.


    I knew exactly who he was.


    Commander Zhao.


    The bastard who burned down a large portion of that library.


    Thanks to him, I''d have to do some annoying math if not for the fact that I knew about the eclipse. Because of the eclipse, I knew awakening the avatar was useless, which was the whole point of trying to figure out the date of Sozin''s Comet.


    I''d eventually find out the date once Zhao attacked the North Pole.


    "Why don''t you find out?" I sneered. I pointed my hand at him and bloodbent him into the air.


    He grabbed his throat, struggling to stop the invisible force controlling him.


    But his attempts were futile.


    "I was here to reduce the Fire Nation''s forces," I said. "But, I must say, you guys are disappointing. Why go around invading other nations if you''re this weak? Son of a bitch."


    With that, I threw him into his residence.


    I turned and left.


    When no one was looking, I opened my eyes wide and sighed in relief.


    I was extremely uncomfortable playing the role of a dick, insulting people left and right.


    It made me feel awful, seeing the sad looks on their faces.


    ''Hurting someone''s feelings feels worse than killing them. I''ll apologize to his wife once I''m done handing Zhao over to Wang,'' I thought to myself.


    With that, I flew to the center of the base.


    Toph had already managed to create a maze with her metalbending, dividing the Fire Nation''s attention in this base.


    Katara, on the other hand, was toying with them using bloodbending.


    She was getting really good at it. I bet that by the end of this full moon cycle, she wouldn''t even need the full moon''s power boost.


    "It''s time to leave," I said loudly.


    Katara and Toph stopped what they were doing and hopped onto the cloud before I flew off. Some fire streams followed after me, but I ignored them.


    Today, no Fire Nation soldier was killed.


    But all of their feelings were hurt.

 Chapter 75 - 75

    Zhao''s wife, Maya, stared at her unconscious husband, who had landed in front of her.


    Just a few moments ago, a monster¡ªno, a man worse than a monster¡ªhad invaded her home. He had done unspeakable things to her and disrespected her in front of her family, calling her an ugly pig and worse.


    People in her situation would usually feel afraid. But now that the monster was gone, she felt something else. Hatred. Humiliation. And, somehow, she liked the verbal abuse. No one had ever dared to speak to her like that¡ªnot even her husband. He even slapped her...


    But soon, she remembered that she was an honorable woman from the Fire Nation, and such words about her couldn''t be allowed to spread. She needed to maintain her self-respect. What would people think if they found out that an enemy beat up everyone and then left because he thought she was so ugly? That would be the worst thing to happen in her life.


    ''You fucking bastard. I''ll bring slavery back starting with you¡­'' She gritted her teeth and grabbed her dress. Slowly, she ripped it part by part, being careful not to use firebending. She poured water on herself and hit her face a few times with her fist.


    She looked down at her unconscious husband, whose eyes began to twitch. With a cold expression, she knelt down beside him and shook him violently.


    Tears streamed down her face and dripped onto his.


    "Zhao... Zhao... Wake up¡­ Your wife has been harassed." She cried out.


    Zhao opened his eyes, staring at her in confusion. Why was she acting like this? Soon, memories flooded into his mind. He quickly sat up and ran to the window, only to see his base in chaos. The metallic walls were bent and scattered. The soldiers were unconscious.


    As he turned his head, he saw his wife crying, blue spots on her delicate skin, staring at the ceiling. Then he noticed something else¡ªher clothes were torn.


    His wife continued, "I''ve been touched by that barbarian waterbender." She reached for her hairpin, grabbed it, and yelled, "I''m going to kill myself!"


    She raised the pin.


    Zhao''s mind was in chaos. His children''s mother was about to kill herself, and he didn''t even have time to process it.


    He quickly reached out and pulled her delicate waist into his arms.


    "Maya¡­ Calm down¡­ calm down. It''s not your fault," he urged.


    She put her head on his chest and cried harder.


    "But I can''t live anymore," she sobbed.


    Zhao felt rage swelling within him.


    To assault his base was one thing. To assault his wife was another.


    That waterbender¡­ Ryuk. He knew his name very well. Not only had he spat on the Nation''s honor, he had spat on his own as well.


    "What did he do to you?" Zhao asked, his voice tight with anger.


    "I can''t say!" she replied. "He beat me up, pissed on me, touched my private parts, and then left."


    Zhao''s blood pressure skyrocketed, but he kept his composure.


    He wanted to rip Ryuk apart. No, he wanted to chop off his manhood, cage him, and torture him every day.


    But at the same time, he knew that he couldn''t do a thing to the man who had defeated his entire base and left them all alive, because they weren''t worthy of being killed.


    "Maya, I swear. That waterbender will drag his own people down with him. And when that happens, I''ll ruin all of their lives. He''ll get a special punishment," Zhao promised.


    "What do you mean?" Maya asked, holding back a smirk. She was eager for her revenge, and it seemed like she would get it sooner than expected. After all, Zhao wasn''t one to speak nonsense.


    "I mean that the world will no longer have waterbenders," Zhao said, his eyebrows furrowing.


    Maya hugged him, a smirk forming behind his back.


    ''Let''s see how that waterbender deals with this... that fucking bastard,'' she thought.


    -x-X-x-


    The man who was feeling guilty had no idea what was going on in the outside world. He had spent a few days in the clouds, flying north at a leisurely pace.


    After several days, Ryuk had recovered from his actions, and he could look at his reflection in the water again.


    ''Did my plan work...?'' Ryuk thought. ''I hope she doesn''t frame me too much¡­ I''ll have to go to the North Pole and wait for Zhao to arrive. Man, I wonder how long it''s been since I''ve had a break. Also, I haven''t eaten dried fish in ages. Never thought I''d miss them.''


    Ryuk was currently in the northern part of the Earth Kingdom.


    He stood on the open beach, surrounded by the trio.


    Ryuk was working at a table, spreading dough with ease. Next to him were some red sauce, herbs, and olives. Behind him was an oven that Toph had built with her earthbending.


    Ryuk spread the dough effortlessly with a touch of his hand.


    "Since when were you this good at cooking?" Toph, who was lying on the ground, asked. She had seen many skilled cooks in her life, many of whom worked for her family, but she had never seen a man spread dough so effortlessly. "I''m still surprised by you."


    "He never made anything but dried fish in his entire life. I wonder too," Katara, sitting next to Toph, added.


    "I guess I''m just a natural," Ryuk laughed.


    "Well, hurry up. I''m starving," Sokka said.


    "Just a few minutes, brother-in-law," Ryuk replied, spreading sauce on the dough and placing it in the oven. He controlled some water nearby, turning it into hot steam and using it to surround the oven.


    After a few minutes, Ryuk had something he had been dying to eat ever since arriving in this world... ever since he''d regained his memories. Luckily, he had the cooking skill. He''d also gotten the yeast from some alcohol makers on the road.


    He pulled a large pizza out of the oven, placing it on the table and slicing it.


    The trio gathered around and stared at it.


    "What''s this?" Katara asked.


    "I''ve never seen this before. I know, I used to be blind," Toph commented. "Is it even for humans?"


    "Hard to argue with that," Sokka nodded. "Look at that. It''s round, and it''s red."


    "Yeah, guys. It''s not for humans," Ryuk replied, grabbing a slice and eating it. If they didn''t want one, that was just another win for him. He closed his eyes. "Mmm¡­ fuck yeah¡­ No one touches this. It''s not for humans¡­"


    Toph grabbed a slice and took a bite. Her eyes widened. "Yeah, definitely not for human consumption." Then she continued eating faster.


    By now, it was clear that both Ryuk and Toph had traded their humanity.


    Sokka and Katara joined in.


    "Ryuk, you bastard. How could you keep something this good to yourself? What is it called?" Sokka asked.


    "I call it pizza," Ryuk replied. "Wait until you try it with cheese."


    "Cheese?" Sokka tilted his head curiously.


    "It''s made from milk. Takes time, but I''ll make some another day," Ryuk replied.


    -x-X-x- S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To the west, in the Fire Nation, the news of the defeat at the largest naval base had shocked the entire country. Not because they were ambushed.


    No.


    It was because everyone had been beaten and left alive by a single man, who had two girls with him.


    Not only that, but he entered the home of the Commander and harassed his wife, slapping her and ripping her clothes off.


    Rumors spread among the soldiers that Commander Zhao''s son had called Ryuk "daddy" when he saw his portrait.


    For the Fire Nation, honor was everything.


    Yet Ryuk didn''t just disrespect it. He desecrated it. And now the soldiers and the family were left to deal with the aftermath.


    The Fire Lord was in his chamber with his closest advisors. His daughter was one of them, and they were all hearing the report.


    Ryuk had defeated hundreds of men using a new form of bending he called bloodbending, where he could control the bodies of soldiers and knock them out instantly just by walking past them.


    He could also fly.


    "That fucking coward couldn''t wait for the rest of the soldiers to wake up," the Fire Lord cursed, losing his temper. His eyes were bloodshot, and the candles near his throne flared into pillars of fire.


    Azula glanced at him, as if he were insane. But he was her father, so she had to support him. At least that way, she could remain the favorite child.


    "Agreed. He could handle hundreds through ambush, yet ran away," Azula said mockingly. "If he was the man he claims to be, he wouldn''t have escaped. My bet is he couldn''t kill the soldiers because his power was lacking. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have survived."


    "Yes, the princess has a point," one of the advisors said. "If Ryuk had the ability to kill them, he would have. But he bluffed and left, afraid that our soldiers would realize he was weaker. His bloodbending isn''t permanent or without a cost."


    After the defeat, word spread about Ryuk''s power¡ªcontrolling bodies like puppets. They debated whether to call it bloodbending or puppetbending, but the name didn''t matter as much as the fact that it was now in the hands of their enemies.


    And what was worse, he wasn''t the only waterbender in the world. If he went to the North Pole, he could train an entire unit.


    Of course, they didn''t know that most waterbenders needed the full moon to master bloodbending, and it would take years unless they had exceptional talent.


    "We have bloodbending now. As if dustbending and metalbending weren''t enough," the Fire Lord stood up, his blood pressure rising.


    Not only was he losing the war...


    He was being humiliated. His forces were.


    And the worst part? It was happening during his era.


    The Fire Lord wouldn''t have minded losing in an epic battle against the Avatar.


    But losing to someone who made a commander''s son call him "daddy" and sparred an entire base of his nation like they were weaklings not worth killing?


    He would become the laughingstock of the world.


    "First of all, demote Commander Zhao to a captain. Make him take the blame. And let him only command one ship." the Fire Lord said. "Say our men were drunk because of an irresponsible leader, and he''ll be punished for it."


    "As for Ryuk, according to his pattern of spreading new bending forms, he''ll definitely head to the North Pole. Send the Bright Shadow unit there to assassinate him."


    "But my lord, those men were trained to fight dustbenders¡­" one advisor protested.


    "Do as I say," the Fire Lord ordered. "Azula, you will lead them."


    The Fire Lord accepted no objections.

 Chapter 76 - 76

    While waiting for my scheme to cook, I was flying on my cloud, heading toward the North Pole. The farther north I went, the colder the weather became. And I must say, I was quite happy about it. You see, despite my body being tanned¡ªquite suited for hot weather¡ªI was very heat-sensitive and loved the cold much more.


    "So, are we just going to land and say, ''Hi, I need a wife for my brother-in-law''?" Sokka, who was sitting next to me, asked curiously.


    I almost lost my focus and nearly dispersed the cloud. I replied, "You just find a girl that likes you and that you like, and that''s it."


    He narrowed his eyebrows. "That''s it?"


    "She''ll be your moon," I said. "I promise."


    Then I paused in the air for a moment, turned my head slowly to him, and smiled widely, realizing something.


    "What?" Sokka cocked his head.


    "You just called me brother-in-law," I said, feeling so happy and accomplished.


    Sokka''s face grimaced... Yeah, your sister is mine, and you''re admitting it.


    "That''s not¡ª" he tried to justify, but I didn''t let him finish.


    "Katara, you heard him!" I shouted.


    "Heard him very clearly," Katara laughed at Sokka''s reaction, who put his hand on his forehead and looked at the sky.


    Toph was just still lying on the ground, looking at the sky.


    By this time, she could see well, and her brain had adapted to both visual inputs from vibrations and light.


    She had even confessed that she could see people in a full 360-degree view.


    Her brain could even fill in the blanks and tell her the colors of things behind her.


    It was quite impressive.


    I wondered what kind of vision that was. Panorama? Omniscient, or something else?


    "So¡­" Sokka said in a disappointed tone. "You were never planning to find me a wife?"


    "Don''t worry, Sokka. You''re a natural playboy," I said. "You just have my protection. You can even go after the princess, and I''ll support you."


    "So, you''re telling me to offend everyone and hide behind your back? No thanks," Sokka crossed his arms and turned his head.


    "Oh¡­ Look. There''s a wall," Toph sat up and pointed in front of her. "It''s quite tiny."


    "No, it''s just too far," I pointed out.


    "Yeah." She stood up, hugging her arms and started shaking. "By any chance, do you have spare clothing?"


    She wasn''t very well adapted to the cold.


    I reached for my coat, which I had forgotten to take down, and handed it to her.


    "Thanks. What about you?" Toph asked in concern.


    "It doesn''t bother me," I smiled.


    "Me neither," Katara added.


    "Well, I prefer warmth, but I''m used to this," Sokka shook his head. As the second food supplier at the South Pole, handling the cold weather was nothing.


    Soon, we approached a large ice wall. On it stood guards dressed in white, their faces and heads covered. Most of them held spears with blue, curved tips. I controlled the cloud and tried to descend, but then water balls rose from the ocean and attacked my cloud at high speed. The water was quite high-pressured and could damage steel. If it hit a person, it could break their bones.


    Katara panicked and waterbent the water attacks away.


    "They''re attacking us!" she said.


    Sokka held his boomerang and threw it down. His force was quite impressive, as he covered his arm with Chi, giving him a power boost. The boomerang hit one of the waterbenders, taking them down.


    Seeing how easily the bender fell, I realized that May, from the Fire Nation, was quite scary. She was like a ninja, throwing needles with high precision. And you know, guys, you may survive a rock hitting you, or a fire stream, or water stream, but a thick metal needle? You''d have a much lower chance.


    "Hold! They are waterbenders!" a voice echoed. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"


    I descended from my cloud and jumped off it, controlling it and myself to fly through the air.


    Everyone looked up, as if they were shocked. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I continued falling as slowly as possible.


    I scoffed.


    "Is this your policy? Attack first and ask questions later?" I scolded.


    To be honest, that might be my policy as well. In times of war, you''d rather lose an ally than let an enemy in, especially when the chance of being invaded by the enemy is 99%.


    "Oh my!"


    "He''s Ryuk!"


    Everyone surrounded me, seeming to already know who I was.


    The hostile atmosphere disappeared. I was as confused as everyone else. They slowly dropped their weapons, and my team slowly dropped their hostile expressions.


    "You know me?" I asked.


    The one who seemed to be the leader of the guards approached. He was a bulky man about my height.


    He said, "After the stunt you pulled on Commander Zhao, everyone knows about you. You''re the talk of the world now. You even made his son call you ''Daddy''¡­"


    After his words, laughter echoed.


    As for his wife, he didn''t mention her yet. It could also mean that she had just filled Zhao''s head with lies. After all, no one would want all their dirty laundry aired in public.


    ''Interesting. She may want to direct her husband to me, yet keep some image to herself,'' I thought.


    "At first, I thought it was just a funny story. A waterbender flying on a cloud, defeating more than 300 men on his own, and leaving. That was quite absurd, right?" he added.


    I waved my hand. "Of course it is. If not for the full moon, I wouldn''t have been able to do that. Thanks to the spirits of the moon and ocean, it was easy to pull off."


    A man from the crowd interjected. "Can you really control people?"


    Everyone looked at me, seemingly expecting an answer.


    "Okay, guys. I''m a guest who traveled from the other side of the pole. Is this how you show your hospitality to your cousins?" I replied.


    ----


    PS: Sorry for the lack of updates. No excuses. just a little depressed.

 Chapter 77 - 77

    "Of course not. We are always welcoming to someone like you," the leader smiled. "But a man of your caliber can''t be hosted by me. Why don''t you and your group follow me to the chief''s house, and then we''ll forget about our earlier misunderstanding?"


    He smiled nervously. I guess he seemed to be afraid of getting scolded by the chief.


    I turned my head slowly, my eyes meeting Toph''s.


    She nodded, seemingly having already read my mind and shared my opinion.


    Hold on. She was standing on the snow. How could she tell? Whatever.


    I contemplated whether to tease the guards'' leader or not. Maybe even say that I wouldn''t forgive him and would report his insolence.


    It might sound amusing to me.


    But I had been teasing Sokka for the last few days, and my sadistic needs had been fulfilled.


    And I was tired after traveling for many hours on the sea.


    "Forget about it." I waved my hand. "I won''t tell your boss."


    Loud cheers erupted, and I almost took a step back. The guards seemed cheerful about my decision.


    I rubbed my ear.


    Katara forced a smile. Toph covered her ears. Sokka had a stoic face and puffed his chest. I guess I knew what he was thinking, feeling accomplished for taking down a bender with a boomerang.


    As for the guards, did they act like this in canon?


    I shook my head and decided to forget about it.


    After exchanging a few words, we made our way to the center of the city. Yes, a city, something I never expected to see. At the South Pole, we had some ice houses and tents.


    But here, there were buildings, houses, cabins made of ice.


    Many buildings filled the horizon. At the center, there was a palace made of ice. Between the streets, you could even see bridges. I turned my head left and right, admiring the ice-watching towers.


    One should give the North Pole credit for using their bending powers creatively. They even had entire walls made of ice.


    It made you wonder why the Earth Kingdom was invaded. It''s not like it''s hard for them to make a wall like China''s Great Wall, or even greater. Only Ba Sing Se made a wall for itself. But they could''ve included the whole nation.


    ''Hey, at least that means teaching the earthbenders new forms is quite risk-free. They won''t use gunpowder to make firearms,'' I thought as I entered the palace.


    I was immediately granted an audience with the tribe''s chief.


    We went there.


    And it was obvious that I would be the one to do the talking.


    In front of me was a middle-aged man with black hair, quite tanned skin, and blue eyes, sitting on a throne. My eyes darted left and right, looking at the guards who seemed to be more serious than the ones at the wall. Near the chief, there was a woman, very pretty, her skin on the bright side, with blue eyes. The most striking feature was her silver-blond hair.


    Without having to use my eyes, I could see Sokka looking at her with wide-open eyes.


    She made eye contact with him.


    And he didn''t lower his gaze.


    Soon, a blush spread across her face.


    She lowered her head slightly and moved her eyes in Sokka''s direction.


    It was the perfect time to have some popcorn.


    But I guess I had to distract her father... You know, the silver-haired girl was the princess of the North Pole, after all.


    "So, what''s the purpose of your visit?" the chief, Arnook, asked.


    The real purpose for me was waiting for Commander Zhao... if he kept his rank after the humiliation he had suffered. Then, let him try to assassinate the fishes, and then save them, get them to like me, and do the ritual in the scroll that Wang had handed me to give me power.


    The second purpose was to get rid of my annoying brother in la by matching him with his daughter.


    But I couldn''t simply say that.


    "I''m here to stay for a few days and give you information that could liberate the North Pole," I said casually.


    "What do you mean by that?" he asked, tightening his gaze.


    I lifted three fingers.


    "In about three weeks, the sun and the moon will align for a few hours. During that time, all of the Firebenders will lose their power and will be like normal citizens. During that duration, you can launch a surprise attack on their fleet and sink their ships. You can win the war."


    Arnook was startled for a moment.


    But he remained calm.


    "How reliable is that information?" he asked.


    It seemed that he didn''t trust my words just yet.


    "You have nothing to lose," I said. "And why would I lie to you? You can confirm that from one of your men."


    "You have to excuse me for doubting you... but why did you spare the lives of the Firebenders in the base a few days ago? What assures me that you aren''t a spy of theirs?" he asked.


    That was a very good question.


    I smirked. "Simply, I ran out of power. So, you know, humiliated them, and left."


    "So, you expect me to believe that kind of rumor, that you have a crazy power to control people?" he asked, narrowing his eyebrows.


    I pointed my hand toward his guards and moved my fingers separately.


    I said, "I have been blessed by the spirits with this power. But it''s not endless. Here, take a look."


    The guards started flying and moving like puppets that I controlled.


    They screamed in panic, and they tried to resist.


    I didn''t bend them for long before putting them down.


    They raised their weapons as soon as they regained control of their bodies.


    Arnook lifted his hand, saying, "Halt. Put down your weapons."


    The guards did as they were told.


    Arnook smiled. "Very well. Very interesting power indeed. You should provide a hand during the eclipse."


    "I will think about it," I replied. "After all, I''m a very busy man."


    "I understand that very much. But I would appreciate it if you helped us defend against the attacks of the Fire Nation fleet while you are staying," he said.


    He was thinking like a leader, asking for help when needed. If you have a powerful man staying for a few days and an enemy fleet attacking your walls, it''s better to ask for help.


    It might also be a test to see if I''m a spy or not, to see if I would sink the Fire Nation ships and kill them.


    And to be fair, I needed to stay here to get my agenda done.


    I smiled and replied, "I''d be glad to help you."


    Anyways...


    I wondered what Commander Zhao was doing now.


    He better get his ass here as soon as possible.


    -x-X-x-


    The next day, Ryuk woke up from his bed.


    Next to him lay both Katara and Toph.


    Let''s just say the Earth Kingdom girl found the weather too cold and had barged in for some warmth.


    And what kind of gentleman would I be if I turned her down?


    Anyways, something happened in between, like me putting something in something in the middle of the night while someone else closed her mouth.


    Ahem.


    I let the girls sleep and left the residence, which happened to be an ice house in villa style.


    Having nothing to do, I decided to oversee the training.


    After all, I was here to wait for Zhao. And while staying, I was just required to help fend against the attacks of the Fire Nation fleet.


    And to be fair, I was very excited about that. After all, I wondered how powerful I would be in the ocean. Waterbenders would be at their strongest only when they were in the sea or one of the poles.


    And after the moon''s cycles and traveling in the ocean, I could feel my Chi growing, thanks to a certain passive sub-skill that allowed me to grow my Chi.


    By staying in the North Pole, I was getting stronger by the day.


    But the growth rate was too slow. Around 1% a day.


    But that could accumulate into more than two-folds of my original power in just 90 days.


    (1.01^90 = 2.44)


    What can I say? One had to be patient and wait for Zhao.


    I went to a large yard.


    In one section, soldiers were thrusting their spears or sparring against each other. I assumed that was the non-bender''s training section.


    Not too far from it, there was another group of people. All of them were males. They were practicing with water.


    And I had to say, their bending skills were pathetic.


    Even Katara surpassed them by a large margin.


    There were a few masters here and there, but it seemed that they didn''t join the training.


    I glided in with my hands behind my back as I was too lazy to walk in the early morning.


    I then stopped.


    An old man overseeing the training turned his head to me. He was above average height, half bald, and had long white hair. He was quite white for a North Pole native. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And somehow, I knew him.


    He was the only grandmaster in the world when it came to waterbending.


    Yeah... I know I should probably include myself, but I had surpassed that level a long time ago. According to the system, I was at a king''s rank when it came to waterbending.


    "Greetings," I said to him.


    "You must be Ryuk," he replied. "I''ve heard stories about you."


    I was quite famous here apparently. But the old man must know more.


    You know, there''s a saying...


    All old people know each other.


    And it''s safe to assume that he''s a fellow member of the Order of the White Lotus.


    I used my brilliant brain to conclude that, not like I remembered it from the original show. Please believe me.


    "I''m a fellow member, if you know what I mean," I cupped my fists and gave a bow.


    He cupped his hands and bowed back, showing respect.


    "I''m Grandmaster Pakku. I would suggest that you wait for us to use the code before talking next time. Who knows, I may be a spy," said Pakku.


    "I know. But my generation and yours do things differently," I replied.


    He chuckled. "Do you want me to feel outlived now?"


    "Nah," I replied simply.


    "So, what brought you here?" he asked.


    "I came here to tell you about the eclipse date, to turn the tides of the war upside down," I explained. "We are planning a full-scale attack. With the metalbenders taking care of the Earth Kingdom, and you taking care of their fleet, the war will be in our favor by then."


    That, and other stuff.


    "But you could have waited for Bumi to send the news through a messenger," Pakku replied.


    "I could. But the trip is dangerous. Especially for someone who can''t fly and can''t cross roads with the Fire Nation fleet," I clarified.


    Pakku nodded. "I appreciate your concern."


    "Don''t mention it," I waved my hand. "Our tribes are cousins. You''re my people, so I would be concerned for you."


    "Ryuk," a feminine voice called.


    I turned my head to see Katara standing up, donned in a blue coat. She was stretching her arms up.


    "Oh, you''ve woken up already," I smiled.


    "This must be your woman," Pakku commented.


    "Yeah," I replied.


    Katara looked at me.


    "Do we do our morning training as usual, or should we take a break?" Katara said. "To be fair, I''m quite stiff from traveling all day long."


    "Sure," I replied. "You can train. I don''t think they mind an additional bender in the training ground."


    "Excuse me," Pakku interjected.


    "What?" I turned to him.


    "You''re training a woman, for what exactly?"


    "Bending," I replied.


    "Like healing, right?" he tried to confirm.


    "That, and other advanced bending forms," I said.


    "Unbelievable. The only bending form women here learn is healing. Fighting and war are only for men. Women can''t do that. They can only cook, clean, and heal," Pakku objected.


    "When it comes to smooth movement, as much as I have a huge male ego, women do it better," I replied. Men may do many things better, but dancing wasn''t one of them.


    "So, you''re just thinking with your lust," Pakku said in a disappointed tone. "Women aren''t accustomed to blood and war."


    "You know," I raised my hand, seeing that we were about to get into an argument very soon. "How about this. Your best student vs. mine. If I win, it will prove that it''s a matter of talent and teacher''s quality rather than gender. Also, the loser will have to pay the winner ten golden coins."


    "Hmm... that''s quite easy money. Agreed. Don''t back out of your part of the bargain," Pakku smirked. He extended his hand to me.


    "Hope you hold onto your reputation," I shook his hand.


    Katara, who was standing by the side, started biting her nail.

 Chapter 78 - 78

    Katara bit her nail under her glove, feeling anxious after hearing Pakku and Ryuk arguing about her.


    Although she was provoked by Pakku''s words, she felt she had nothing to prove to him.


    At the same time, she was quite afraid.


    After all, she had lived for almost 18 years, and all she had been able to learn on her own was how to move a water ball and create a wave of water.


    The rest was taught to her by Ryuk, who had learned everything he knew in the year he''d received his training.


    Ryuk always encouraged her, telling her she was very talented, but Katara had a feeling he said that only to spare her feelings¡ªthough she appreciated the emotional support.


    At the same time, she knew there were individuals who were worse than her at bending.


    But the world definitely had plenty of talented people.


    To fight against the best trainee here, who had been training under Master Pakku?


    ''Ryuk¡­ why do you want me to embarrass myself?'' she thought, full of self-doubt. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Pakku left to get his student, Ryuk walked up to Katara and slapped her on the back.


    "What are you nervous about?" Ryuk asked casually.


    Katara glared at him.


    "You''re going to make me embarrass myself in front of everyone!" she replied, her eyes wide.


    Ryuk smiled widely, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.


    "I assure you, you''re better than everyone here," he said with confidence.


    "Yeah, but I''m a total waste of effort. I''ve been a bender for most of my life, and I can''t defeat someone who''s had less than a year of training. In fact, I learned from him while he learned on his own." She said, her voice trembling with emotion as tears almost welled up in her eyes.


    Ryuk placed his hands on her shoulders.


    "So, you''re agreeing with Pakku, who says that women can only heal and cook?" he asked, his tone provoking.


    Katara shook her head. "You can cook."


    "You''re damn right," Ryuk replied with a grin.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Katara asked, raising an eyebrow, clearly not understanding his awkward phrasing.


    Ryuk stood beside her and slapped her on the butt.


    "If Sokka can beat a bender with a boomerang, I''m pretty sure you can do more," Ryuk encouraged.


    Katara took a deep breath. "Alright. I''ll do it."


    Ryuk tilted his head and exhaled deeply.


    He needed to deal with her mental block so she could believe in herself.


    She was talented and had been picking up on his lessons quickly, learning new bending forms more easily than him.


    But still, she was like Neo¡ªshe needed to believe to unlock her true potential.


    He was here to be her Morpheus.


    ''Damn. I''m missing TV. I wonder what''s happening in Squid Games 3¡­ or John Wick Chapter 5¡­''


    "Okay, Ryuk. Call your student." Pakku said, coming back with a man around Ryuk''s age.


    He stood in the middle of the training ground.


    The rest of the training soldiers stepped to the side at Pakku''s command.


    Ryuk gave Katara a strong slap on the butt, pushing her forward.


    Katara, embarrassed to be spanked publicly, felt angry. She turned to Ryuk, her face flushed. She scoffed and then faced her opponent, a middle-aged man wearing an arrogant expression.


    The moment Ryuk slapped her, Katara was pissed off and had a sudden urge to punish anyone in front of her.


    "This is Jakko," Pakku introduced. "He''s my best student in this batch, and he has the potential to reach master level in a few years."


    "Okay, let''s get this over with," Jakko smirked. "I''ll make sure it ends quickly, so stop wasting my time."


    Pakku smirked and walked toward Ryuk, thinking he was going to make easy money teaching the young man a lesson about how the world worked.


    "Start," Pakku said.


    Jakko took a bending stance and pushed forward, a wave of water rising from the icy ground and charging toward Katara. She stomped on the ground, splitting the wave into two and pushing it out of her way.


    "Not bad for a chick," Jakko said as he placed his hands on the ground. He lifted them, and the ice around his hands transformed into two long water whips.


    Seeing this move, Katara''s eyes widened.


    Seeing her expression, Jakko taunted, "Bet you can''t do this. I get it; it''s a very advanced move, and it would take years of training. Someone like you might need decades to master it."


    At the same time, Katara thought, ''Is that it? Is he for real? And they''re thin. His control over water isn''t bad, but calling him near master level is pathetic.''


    Seeing Katara''s jaw drop, everyone around started chuckling.


    ''No wonder Ryuk says I''m underestimating myself. Wait, how does he know how good other benders are? Maybe he''s just having faith in me, which is nice. Or maybe this Jakko is just playing a prank on me. Let''s test the water,'' Katara thought as she closed her mouth and shook her head in disappointment.


    She extended her hand and spun once. Water from the ground rose, creating three tentacles around each hand. They felt thicker, and their ends were frozen solid into ice.


    The echoes of laughter suddenly stopped.


    "Nice joke," Katara said to her foe. With one step, she glided across the ice at high speed.


    Jakko, surprised and panicked, waved his whips at her. She easily defended with one tentacle, dispersing the water form of her foe, and soon found herself in front of him.


    Jakko abandoned his flashy move and tried to gather more water from the ground.


    Katara moved her fingers, which were covered in water, forcing Jakko''s leg to move forward. His legs split 180 degrees, and he lost his balance. Without wasting any time, Katara used her tentacles to create shackles around his legs, feet, hands, arms, and even his neck.


    It was clear by now that she had won, and her opponent was in no condition to fight back.


    "I give up," he uttered after struggling to free himself, but to no avail.


    Katara let go of her hold and turned to Ryuk, smiling.


    She had just defeated the so-called talented waterbender, and she never imagined it would be this easy.


    Maybe being blessed by the spirits with waterbending had its advantages¡ªRyuk''s talent was something else. Something out of this world.


    She turned to Ryuk, who smiled and stretched his hand out to Pakku.


    Pakku''s eyelids fluttered.


    "I won''t pay you?" Pakku objected.


    "Are you objecting, old man?" Ryuk replied, his smile fading into a frown.


    "We agreed to test their waterbending skills. Your student used bloodbending. That''s cheating. Without it, she couldn''t have won," Pakku said angrily.


    Ryuk rolled his eyes.


    "Have you seen it? She was toying with your student. He could only control two water tentacles, and she controlled six. He never stood a chance. After that, she just played with him. If she used bloodbending from the start, you wouldn''t have had a chance," Ryuk argued.


    Pakku scoffed. "My student wasn''t serious at all. He was about to get serious, but your girl used her dirty trick on him."


    "Okay, Pakku. Blood is mostly water, so the fight was still waterbending," Ryuk shrugged. "I understand if you don''t want to pay, but do you really want to be known as the man who refused to pay his debts?"


    Ryuk was playing his mental tricks on Pakku.


    Katara tilted her head.


    It was just like Ryuk had said.


    Just like when she had won through waterbending, she had used a bit of bloodbending.


    If it was really about winning, she could have used ball bending and twisted her foe''s... well, balls.


    But she wanted to test her talent.


    And to be fair, she was getting very confident now that she believed she could take on that grandmaster.


    He was quite arrogant, and she wanted to beat him. But like her grandma used to say, you have to respect your elders. Katara wouldn''t feel right beating up a child or an old man.


    "It''s not about money. It''s about playing fair," Pakku said.


    "Just so you know, Katara could have taken your student¡ªand you¡ªin a second if she used what I really consider dirty tricks," Ryuk said, flashing a vicious smile.


    "Oh really? What could be trickier and dirtier?" Pakku challenged.


    Ryuk''s eyes widened.


    Pakku''s eyelids stretched, feeling something moving.


    "Blood isn''t the only liquid you have," Ryuk said. "Have you ever heard of the name ''Nutcracker''?"


    Pakku paused and slowly said, "Wait... wait..."


    He had heard of the Nutcracker title, which happened to be Ryuk''s first title. Everyone in the Order of the White Lotus knew about it. The tale of 50 bounty hunters getting their balls twisted.


    And just now, without making a single move, Ryuk had controlled his balls.


    If Katara knew about this form of bending too, she''d have the power to defeat him¡ªand his student.


    Only now did Pakku realize that Katara had been going easy from the start.


    But how could she do that?


    From the beginning, she had acted nervous, biting her nail and everything. Her body language screamed that she was a weak woman who knew she was weak.


    Ryuk released his grip on Pakku''s balls, allowing him to sigh in relief.


    "How about this," Pakku said, raising his hand, sweat dripping from his forehead. "I admit it. Your woman is strong. But that''s just because of the extra form of bending, which is very powerful. How about this: double or nothing?"


    "Double or nothing?" Ryuk repeated, intrigued.


    "Yes. A battle of pure waterbending. Only bending ice and water are allowed. The loser has to pay double to the winner," Pakku said.


    Ryuk did the math. "So, if I win, I get 40 gold."


    "No, you only get twenty," Pakku replied.


    "No, I''ve won the first battle, which entitles me to 20 gold coins. If you double that, and I win, I get 40. If I lose, I''ll only have to pay 30 coins."


    "Why not forty?"


    "Because I already have 20¡ª10 from you, leaving 30 from my pocket in case I lost. If I win, you pay me 30 gold." Ryuk said.


    ''I thought that I had to pay him 20 if I lost. That young man. He doesn''t let anything slip.'' Pakku smirked. At least he had saved his wallet.

 Chapter 79 - 79

    I stood in the center of the training ground. In the end, Pakku and I had agreed to have this battle between us.


    More people started gathering to witness a waterbending battle between the renowned grandmaster and the rising force¡ªme.


    I couldn''t believe that I had used the title I wanted to get rid of. By that, I mean the Nutcracker title, not one of my system''s titles.


    And Pakku had earned himself a good beating.


    So, I would have to fight the only grandmaster in this world.


    On the other hand, I had long surpassed the Grandmaster level. I had reached Great Grandmaster and even Great-Great Grandmaster.


    I had been anticipating the ancestor grandmaster level from the system, but instead, I had reached the level of a king. And I was halfway to the next level.


    I wondered what the title would be. Could it be Emperor Grandmaster?


    "Hey, are you ready, or are you just going to keep staring at the sky?" Pakku asked in an annoyed tone.


    I was looking at the sky, lost in thought. His voice snapped me back to reality.


    I guess getting distracted against weaker opponents was one of my bad habits.


    But in my defense, I had an extra sense and could see without using my eyes.


    "I''m ready. Just attack me," I waved my hand.


    "Quite arrogant. But since you''re strong and young, it''s understandable. There was no one around to teach you a lesson," Pakku said.


    To be honest, I was quite humble.


    I wasn''t arrogant.


    I didn''t think I was too strong for him.


    But it was simply a fact I couldn''t deny.


    "Please, I''d appreciate your care," I cupped my hands and bowed.


    And you may wonder, why am I acting like this? I thought it would be amusing to act as if I''m the weaker one before smashing him up.


    Pakku gave a satisfied smile and said, "But you gotta pay the part of your bet."


    "You have my word, as long as I have yours," I replied, suppressing a laugh.


    "Don''t worry. As long as you don''t use vicious bending techniques, I''ll pay you even 60 gold," Pakku said, stretching his hands forward and waving them, creating a tornado of water that enveloped us.


    ''Not a bad trick. He''s using minimal movement to control most of the water. Impressive, old man, very impressive indeed,'' I thought, praising my foe.


    Some might think it''s logical for me to hate him after his words about Katara being weak and the time he tried to back out of the bet. But he was a good person willing to give me sixty gold for free.


    I took a step forward, and the water tornado split in half, dispersing into droplets.


    "Not bad skill," Pakku said, waving his hand forward, sending blades of ice from the ground.


    I moved my hand lazily, shifting the trajectory of the blades.


    At the same time, I noticed the ice forming around my feet.


    He was trying to trap me.


    I looked at him, and he smirked, as if saying ''Gotcha!''


    "Oh, no, you got me," I deadpanned dramatically.


    I had a hidden ability¡ªbending with thoughts. No, at my current level, it was more like bending with my mind. I could do waterbending as easily as I could move my limbs when walking, without ever consciously thinking about it, just focusing on the outcome and letting my brain do the rest.


    I waved my hand at the ice around my feet, which felt surprisingly warm, then started running, heading straight for Pakku.


    The old man tried to move his foot. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But then, he couldn''t.


    And since he was a bender who relied on dancing to bend, shackling his foot or limb would disrupt his technique.


    "Son of..." he muttered.


    "60 gold," I interjected, standing in front of him.


    He tried to move his hand and send a wave of water at me.


    But, unfortunately for him, more water surrounded him and froze around him.


    I controlled my freezing skill up to the first few levels. If I pushed it to the max, Pakku wouldn''t just get frostbite¡ªhe''d turn into a statue that would shatter easily.


    Gritting his teeth, Pakku melted the ice prison around him. His expression was serious as he jumped at me, launching all his bending techniques, controlling the icy ground and water in the air to attack me from every direction.


    I put my hands in my pockets and controlled the water around me as well.


    And I could proudly say I had three to four times the amount of water under my control compared to him.


    The water clashed against his, and I won the confrontation, sending Pakku flying away.


    Pakku landed on the ground, coughing violently.


    He stared at me, his eyes wide open.


    I wasn''t making a move, yet the water still circled around me.


    "Impossible. You''re not moving at all, yet you can perform this advanced form of bending?" he said in utter shock.


    "Yeah, one of my special talents," I said, rubbing my ear, still controlling the water.


    I expected the old man to be in denial.


    Everyone watching was, even Katara.


    I could hear mutters about how this level of waterbending had never been seen before.


    Some even started saying that I was the Avatar.


    But that wasn''t it.


    Pakku, contrary to my expectations, stood up and bowed deeply.


    "Please, take me as your student," he said. "I was always praised as a Master and Grandmaster, but compared to you, I''m still a novice. Please, train me in your ways of waterbending."


    His voice was full of humility.


    "Ah¡­" I didn''t know what to say, staring at him, feeling bad for making an old man bow to me.


    ''If you think this old bastard is going to make me forget about the payment by asking to be my student, then I''ll have you know¡ªno. 60 gold is too much money even for me.''


    "First of all, you said you''d give me 60 gold," I demanded, extending my hand toward him. The water around me calmed down and joined the ice on the ground, but my glare was furious.


    "Sure," Pakku said, closing his eyes tightly, as if he had just eaten a lemon. "But what about becoming your student first?"


    "Can''t train more people right now," I replied dismissively.


    The only people I train are the ones I sleep with.


    Somehow, that sounded wrong.


    But it''s my life, and I''ll do whatever I want.


    I''d put my needs and desires above what others think. After all, no one dies thinking about how others view them.


    Okay, I think that power''s going to my head.


    I need to calm down before I become arrogant.


    -x-X-x-


    Captain Zhao stood on his deck, wearing a simple suit.


    His wife had gone back to her house in the Fire Nation.


    As for him, after being humiliated, the Fire Lord had demoted him from Commander (soon to be Admiral) to a mere captain with a ship and a crew.


    To redeem himself, he decided to end the war in one move and take over the North Pole. To achieve that, he planned to kill the spirits that granted waterbenders their power. At the same time, he had received intel that Ryuk was likely in the North Pole, spreading the teachings of bloodbending.


    That would be perfect. When he started burning those pathetic, powerless waterbenders, all they could do was run away.


    And then, he would be hailed a hero in the Fire Nation, regaining his title.


    He would also take Ryuk back as a slave, to be tortured by him and his wife. Even his son would get a piece of the pie.


    After all, Ryuk had crossed the line when he taught his son to call him ''daddy.''


    Zhao looked out at the ocean, growing colder. His face twitched.


    ''That damn bastard. Every time I think about him, my blood pressure rises,'' he thought to himself.


    -x-X-x-


    "Okay, 60 gold in total," I counted easily.


    Pakku forced a smile.


    I turned to him, now that we were alone and chatting.


    "You''re not going to complain now, old man?" I asked.


    "I was taught a valuable lesson and learned to be more humble. Why would I complain?" he asked.


    "Aren''t you a grandmaster or something?" I tilted my head. "Shouldn''t you have an inflated ego?"


    "For me, when I reached the master level, do you know how I surpassed it?" Pakku asked.


    "More training?" I replied.


    "Must be nice to have monstrous talent," Pakku shook his head. "No. By reflecting every day on my mistakes and the areas I could improve, only then was I able to take my waterbending to the next level. To do that, you have to lower your ego and accept that you make mistakes. Otherwise, you''ll never improve or move past that point."


    ''Feels like I''m in a Kung Fu movie¡­'' I thought to myself.


    "But I guess a young man like you is smarter than the rest of us and doesn''t need to be taught that," Pakku added.


    I pretended to be an old soul and replied, "Yeah. But some people spend their whole lives without learning that. Good for you, Master Pakku."


    "Please, call me just Pakku. I don''t deserve to be called that by you."


    "And now, tell me, what do you think about Katara?" I asked, trying to change the subject. I was in a good mood after getting that 60 gold. Motherfucker, I was going to gamble it away later in the Earth Kingdom. It may sound bad, but I was planning to cheat anyway.


    "As much as I hate to admit it, she''s more suited for the battlefield now that I''ve seen her fight. In fact, the only obstacle she might face would be against a bunch of female firebenders, and the Fire Nation has plenty in their army. However, she''s very good at waterbending, so you don''t have to worry about her," he shared his opinion. "Anyways, do you think our people could learn your bloodbending technique?"


    "I''m sorry, but bloodbending has very harsh requirements. You''ve seen how much more water I can bend than you. It reflects the amount of spiritual energy you have. Without it, you can''t even dream of learning bloodbending without the full moon, and you''d have to start with ants."


    I said, mixing half-truths with a small lie.


    "I see," Pakku nodded and didn''t push further.


    And to be fair, I didn''t want waterbenders to learn bloodbending.


    You know what they say: Knowledge is power. And I''d like to remain powerful enough.


    Also, if someone mastered bloodbending, they could cause havoc. And the only way to stop them would be with plot armor, like Korra did against Amon.


    If there were a hundred bloodbenders scattered across the world, it would be devastating. Anyone of them could flip the world upside down with enough ambition. They could control mercenary or criminal organizations with that kind of power. So no, I won''t teach it to anyone else, other than my children, and I''ll keep it for myself and Katara because I don''t want to worry about her safety.


    "Pakku, are you ready?" I asked, turning my head.


    "Ready for what?" he tilted his head.


    Thanks to my extra sense, I could pick up distant sounds.


    I could tell a supply ship was approaching, and it had been discovered by the Fire Nation fleet surrounding the pole.

 Chapter 80 - 80

    One of the best things about having an extra sense was the ability to hear and see things that people normally don''t notice. And the greatest perk of having a system was that it could upgrade on its own with each level-up. Although my vision through humidity wasn''t as clear as what I could see with my real eyes, hearing with that aqua sense had a much wider range.


    I guess, unlike Toph, I''m more of a sound person.


    As long as I focused on a specific sound wave, I could ignore all the extra noise.


    Right now, I was hearing about a supply ship under attack.


    "You''ve got a supply ship that''s under attack," I said to the confused Pakku.


    Pakku tilted his head and replied, "That''s not funny, Master Ryuk."


    "I''m not your master, and yes, it''s not funny. But it''s true," I replied calmly.


    "You''re not joking?" Pakku said in a confused tone.


    He didn''t seem to believe me.


    But soon enough, he''d start believing.


    Man, I was channeling my inner Morpheus today.


    "Soon, two men will enter and report. At the same time, someone will ring a bell," I said confidently.


    I thought about what this situation was missing¡ªsome tea to sip on.


    Before Pakku could ask any more questions, two men in guard attire entered.


    "Master Pakku, we''ve spotted three Fire Nation ships surrounding our supply ship. Though ours is faster, they''ve trapped it in a formation. What should we do? We need waterbenders," they told him.


    "Right, take everyone you need," Pakku replied hurriedly, standing up and getting ready to engage in war mode.


    But then he paused and turned to me, his eyes wide.


    Ding Ding


    I heard what I assumed was the alarm bells ringing.


    "How?" he asked.


    "Sir, that''s the usual alarm," replied one of the two guards.


    But the question wasn''t directed at them¡ªit was directed at me.


    Pakku kept staring at me.


    I stood up and replied, "It''s a magic trick."


    Ignoring the dumbfounded expression on his face, I walked past him.


    Anyway, the North Pole''s supply ship was under attack.


    Since I was staying here and trying to earn their trust¡ªenough to get closer to the fishes¡ªI knew I had to help them.


    Afterward, they''d see me as someone they needed, and they wouldn''t bother me while I stayed here.


    That is, until Zhao shows up.


    If not, I was doomed to stay here forever.


    And if you''re wondering why "forever," it''s because he could strike at any moment to kill the fishes, which gave me my waterbending power, just like the rest of the population.


    Why didn''t I think of that before?


    I walked out of the building, my hand palming my face.


    ''No, it''s okay. I can chase after him. After all, I can''t miss the day of the eclipse¡­ but staying here is worth the risk,'' I thought to myself.


    Around me, I could see guards running, waterbenders sliding on the ice, and some even flying with the waves that appeared from the ice.


    I guess to them, the supply ship was very important.


    And I couldn''t blame them. After learning about how delicious food grown in sunny areas could be, I''d kill for a piece of it.


    I decided to pick up speed. My feet left the ground, and I found myself flying faster than anyone.


    Soon, I reached the wall.


    The waterbenders were preparing their boats.


    At the horizon, I saw a smokeless wooden blue ship surrounded by four ships with black smoke billowing from them. It was clear these four belonged to the Fire Nation.


    ''Attacking the supply ship¡­ smart strategy in a prolonged battle. But at the same time, aren''t they worried about provoking the waterbenders to attack them while they sleep? It''s not like waterbenders can''t swim faster than their ships¡­ Who the hell is leading these North Pole guys?'' I thought to myself, clicking my tongue.


    I jumped off the wall and landed in the water, using my waterbending to help me swim.


    I stood in the middle of the ships that had been attacked.


    ''Now that I think about it, attacking from underwater in these situations isn''t always wise, as it could lead to friendly fire. But I have more experience.''


    I decided to go with the plan I had in mind.


    I waved my hand, creating a wall of water that rose from the ocean, separating the supply ship from the Fire Nation''s ships. I froze the wall and then, using my waterbending, created a curtain that carried the supply ship. I must admit, creating such a curtain took a lot of energy, but I had plenty.


    As the ship moved farther and the ice remained firm, the soldiers tried to break through, but I guess the ice could get tougher than metal when it reached a certain degree.


    ''Before there was blood, there was icebending. And I''ve had that upgraded with each level.''


    I swam like a fish, creating an ice propel-fan with my icebending skills. With my current level, my sculpting skills were good enough to put me in the art history books.


    The ice propel-fan was pretty big, and it even had joints. A true work of art. I waved my hand, making it spin while I stayed underneath.


    The water started getting pulled from all around and was pushed downward, avoiding hitting me.


    As for the ships above, they lost control because I created a whirlpool above them. Their speed, spinning in one direction, increased with every rotation.


    I clapped my hands, and the ships sank completely. Some unfortunate soldiers were pulled into the whirlpool and sliced in half.


    That was an unfortunate sight to see.


    But this was war. If you go to someone else''s land to kill them, you don''t get to complain when they fight back.


    [Ding¡­]


    [Ding¡­]


    The notifications kept ringing in my ear. I ignored them, freezing any soldiers that got in the water. As the ships sank, I wrapped them completely in cold ice.


    [+150k experience points]


    [Freeze up to level 12]


    [Freeze up to level 13]


    ''That must''ve been at least a hundred soldiers,'' I thought, waving my hand above me to melt the propel-fan into water before rising to the surface.


    I saw the boats approaching me with soldiers on them. They looked at me strangely, stunned as if they''d seen something they shouldn''t have. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At their lead was Pakku.


    "How?" he asked.


    "I froze them. They''re under the water if you want to loot them or take their bodies. But it''ll take a lot of work," I said, waving my hand dismissively.


    "Don''t worry about that. We can bend ice," Pakku said, putting his hand on his forehead. "I was talking about the giant whirlpool. How did you make it? It would take ten of us to achieve half of what you did."


    "Let''s just say¡­ creativity." I floated out of the water and waved my hand. "Anyway, I''ve done my part in helping you guys. Call me when you need me."


    Before he could ask any more questions, I flew away toward the land.


    ''Now that I think about it, isn''t the North Pole a frozen ocean, and the South Pole a frozen land?'' I thought to myself. ''But that''s Earth, right? If this world is based on Earth, then where the hell is Africa¡­''


    Ignoring my wandering thoughts, I reached my residence, where my team was staying.


    I shook myself, making the icy water fly off.


    Despite being adapted to the cold, I didn''t like it. It reminded me of the time I woke up early every morning while looking for the Avatar.


    God, how much I hated it.


    That bald monk better stay frozen, because if he gets out after I''ve finished taking care of everything, I''ll beat his ass.


    My water sense started tingling.


    There was another person in the residence. Two.


    I walked slowly inside, able to see who it was without revealing myself.


    Sokka was kissing a woman.


    I smiled widely.


    ''The next step is to convince her father to let him stay here forever.''


    Captain Zhao smiled widely.


    After taking down four ships on their side, the North Pole''s guard was down.


    He had taken a huge risk by diving into the water.


    Usually, a firebender wouldn''t attempt this without the sun in the sky, and it was extremely cold. Luckily, Zhao had been trained by one of the best firebenders in the world and knew how to adapt to the cold.


    He wouldn''t have attempted this under normal circumstances.


    But now, his fire had a new fuel¡ªgrudge.


    Firebenders can turn their emotions into fire, and that''s what makes them different from one another. Some use rage, some use greed, and others use calmness. That''s what his teacher had taught him.


    Underwater, Zhao could see the ice separating the land above from the ocean.


    Something hit him.


    He turned his head, his eyes widening.


    A frozen body appeared before him.


    From the armor it was wearing, it belonged to his side.


    ''Motherfuckers!'' he thought, his eyes widening as his mouth opened, the air slipping out.


    Zhao quickly closed his mouth.


    He couldn''t believe he had made such an amateur mistake.


    But the surprise and panic had made him lose all his breath.


    Soon, he struggled in the water, losing consciousness.


    The plan he had made with the commander¡ªto attack at night and sneak in to kill the spirits¡ªwas about to fail because of something so stupid.


    "Not going to let you die, Zhao. You still have a mission to do." I clicked my tongue after I created a hole in the ice and fished Zhao out with bloodbending.


    I couldn''t believe my whole plan was about to get ruined.


    I had super hearing, and I heard Zhao''s little plan for tonight. I couldn''t let him fail, not now.


    I put my hands on Zhao''s chest, pushing the water out and trying to save his life.